Little Sister No More
by HopelessRomantic79
Summary: Jasper has always seen her as his little sister. How can Alice convince him she's all grown up? AH/AU. Canon couples.
1. Prologue

**A/N: I had no intention of publishing this yet, but I heard today via Ashley Greene's Twitter that Jackson got hurt yesterday somehow on set, and I wanted to honor him in my own weird way. This is my first Jalice fic, hope you enjoy it!!! Thanks to LittleLea05 for being my beta for me!!! Love ya, gal.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this. Sadness.**

Our first kiss was raw, powerful, intense. My bare shoulders dug into the brick wall, and it hurt, but there was no way in hell I was going to stop him. He was kissing me like he was a starving man and I was his first taste in centuries. My arms wound tightly around his neck as he devoured me. I whimpered as his tongue massaged mine, sucking on it gently.

I was on fire. His hands were everywhere; in my hair, against my breasts, cupping my ass.

He hoisted me up against the wall, so that my legs could wrap around his waist. Finally, after years of fantasizing about this exact moment, I could feel him against me completely. I ground myself against him, and he pinned me against the wall, bringing us that much closer. It still wasn't enough. I had waited my whole life for this moment, and I was suddenly greedy for more. I'd never get enough of him.

I wove my fingers through his hair as he pulled his mouth away from mine and began biting and sucking at my neck. His hot tongue traced trails up and down the column of my neck, paying particular attention to the spot just behind my ear. His heavy breathing sent spikes of pleasure through my body. He was grunting and moaning, spurring me on. I tugged on his wavy, honey blonde hair, and he growled like some sort of wild animal.

It felt too good. I was soaking wet for him, and this was just stoking the fire. I ground against him again, and he moaned against my neck.

His lips found mine again, and this kiss was just as searing as the first. I was crawling out of my skin, trying to get as close as possible.

The alley was filled with the sounds of the club just beyond the shut door behind us, and our breathless pants for air.

"Jasper," I moaned, and he thrust himself hard against me, making my toes curl involuntarily, just thinking about the possibilities. _Not such a gentleman now, are you? _I thought to myself. _Thank God. _


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed for the prologue. Don't worry, the chapters will be much longer here on out!!! Hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks to LittleLea05 for being my rockin' beta!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I do have Team Alice sweatpants and a "Jasper Says Relax" t-shirt I bought in Forks. :-)**

**APOV**

I've always been "Jasper's Little Sister." I've always hated that title. Well, not _always, _but it's been years since I haven't cringed when he introduced me as such to his family, friends or strangers. The thoughts I had for him were far more than little sisterly.

His twin, Rosalie, has been my best friend since she was seven and I was six, and we bonded over Barbie clothes in the sandbox at Forks Elementary School. We were the new kids, she from Texas and me from Mississippi, the southern girls who somehow found themselves in Forks, Washington. Our accents made us enigmas, and therefore weirdos. We were in the same class, as I had skipped right into first grade, and in school we were inseparable.

Eventually we found out that we were close neighbors, and I practically made the Hale's house my own. My mom and dad were always gone, off doing business in Seattle or Portland, so I spent more nights than I could count in Rosalie's bedroom, my pink sleeping bag always waiting for me there. Rose's mom was always sweet and welcoming when I needed a place to stay for the night, or just when Rose and I wanted to have a slumber party. I loved her just as much as I loved my own mother. Mr. Hale was usually gone for his job, just like my parents, but he was around as much as he could be, and the man was a second father to me.

I hated Jasper when I first met him. He was a _boy, _dirty and rowdy, and he didn't like to play games with me and Rose. He was always teasing us, or sabotaging our backyard games, and he always threatened to drop spiders down our shirts, his hands cupped together as if he held one in his hands at that moment. He usually never did, but we squealed and ran nevertheless.

Once, when I was eight and Jasper was nine, we were playing out in the backyard, and it started to rain. This, of course, did not mean that we ran into the house. If we ran inside every single time it started to rain, you'd never get to play outside. Besides, it was warm, almost 60 degrees. It hadn't taken me long to adjust to the weather in Forks. Rose still hadn't gotten used to the cold, however. She would still run inside any time a drop of moisture fell from the sky, so Jasper and I had the backyard to ourselves.

"Wanna play pirates?" Jasper asked. He held out a stick to me while he clutched a slightly bigger one in his hand.

"Only if I get that one," I said with a pout, pointing to his stick. Even at this age, I was good at getting what I wanted with a few choice words and my classic sad eyes and pouty lips.

He tightened his grip on it, but apparently my puppy eyes were too much for him to take, and he relented the bigger stick to me.

"Sucker!" I shouted, whapping him thoroughly across the back with it, and running as fast as my tiny legs would carry me.

"No fair!" he yelped, catching up with me easily. I whirled around, and our sticks came into contact, the sounds of wood clashing together echoing through the forest.

"Surrender, pirate!" I yelled, pretending to stab him in the stomach.

"Never!" Jasper doubled his efforts, and I had to grab the stick with both hands so it wouldn't fly away from me. He had a determined, fierce look in his eye whenever we played like this. Even then, Jasper was meant to be a strategist or a historian, always interested in warfare and battles.

He ran behind a giant fern on the edge of the lawn, waiting for me. "Do you give up?" he yelled, and all I could see of him was his cap of honey blonde hair amongst the green.

"Never, Pirate Jasper!" I giggled, hiding between hemlock branches.

We continued yelling threats to each other, neither moving from our spots, no matter how much rain fell on us. I began to shiver from the cold, seeping rain, but I didn't want to give in. I'm stubborn, always have been, always will be.

So is Jasper. His hair got dark to the point where it looked like a muddy brown, and I could see him shiver, too, but neither of us would give in.

Minutes passed, and we were both quiet, shivering in the cold, our clothes dripping with rain.

"Jasper?" I finally said in a tiny voice. "Are you cold?"

"Yeah," he answered back. "Truce?"

I really didn't want to say yes, but I thought my lips were turning blue, and my teeth were definitely chattering.

"Truce," I said, rising from my spot in the tree, stretching my cramped legs.

"Fool!" Jasper shouted, coming out of nowhere to tackle me to the ground. We both dropped our sticks and starting wrestling around in the mud, my hands blindly reaching out to push him off of me.

"Jasper! Alice! Get in here now!" shouted Mrs. Hale. "You'll catch your death out in that rain!" We both stilled, realizing Jasper was now lying on top of me, his clothes and face streaked with mud. I was sure I had the same fate. Mrs. Hale would kill us.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed, pushing Jasper roughly off of me, and he fell hard onto his butt. Don't let my size fool you; I can kick butt if I have to. "Your mom's gonna hate us! We're all muddy!"

I heard him curse under his breath, and I nearly admonished him, but as I turned I could see how the rain was dripping from his hair, into his eyes, and my breath stopped.

Yeah, I was eight, but I noticed that he was a _boy_, and that his blue eyes were beautiful. My stomach did a weird fluttering thing that I'd never experienced before, and I think I blushed.

Jasper ran to the house, and I followed close behind, brushing my feelings aside. It was Jasper, after all. Soon enough, he'd be throwing worms at me and Rose, and burping at the table. So gross.

We raced into the mudroom, throwing off our shoes and coats, and tried to sneak past Mrs. Hale as she stood in the kitchen.

"Jasper Hale! Mary Alice Brandon!" We froze in our tracks. _Busted._ Mrs. Hale had ears like a bat. She rounded the corner and took in our muddy appearances. "What on _earth _have you been doing?!"

"Uh… you see we were, um, playing and, uh…" We both fumbled with our words, neither one of us willing to confess. He looked at me desperately for a good enough answer, but I could only shrug.

Mrs. Hale looked at us once more, and burst into laughter. Jasper and I were surprised, and very cautious. "You two look… you should see yourselves…" She grinned widely and ran back into the kitchen. Jasper and I looked at each other, bewildered.

"Pose for me," she said as she came back, camera clutched in her hand.

"Mom!" Jasper whined, but complied with her, winding his arm around my shoulders.

"Say cheese!" she said.

Thirteen years later, I held a photo album in my hands, and laughed at our ridiculous grins and muddy bodies. Jasper's hair was standing straight on end with mud and rain, and my white T-shirt was embarrassingly see-through. We were so young then, I mused. So innocent…

Even now, it was hard to admit to myself that that was the day I fell head over heels in love with Jasper Hale. I think the hardest part was admitting that I'd been in love with him for so long. Each passing day it got more and more intense, and more and more difficult to get over, not that I was trying to.

Rose scolded me over and over, telling me to stop torturing myself over something that would never happen, and I wanted to listen to her, I really did, but something was holding me back. I wasn't ready to give up on Jasper because deep down, I knew that we would be together someday. I could feel it, but I couldn't explain why or how.

Each time I explained this to Rose, she'd just roll her eyes and hand me some sort of alcoholic drink.

Today, she brought me a drink first. "Here," she said, thrusting a Corona with lime into my hands. She sat next to me and took a long sip from hers.

"It's weird looking at all these pictures again," I said, taking in all the memories of birthday parties and camping trips and that one day when it snowed two inches and we could have a snow/dirt/rocks/grass-ball fight. "We were so little!"

"Actually, that was just you that was little," Rosalie smirked.

"Hush your mouth; you weren't always the bloody Amazon you are now."

"Oh, what was that, munchkin?"

"I'm sorry, I don't speak giant."

We both burst into laughter, unable to maintain our stern facades for long.

"So what do you wanna do today?" she asked, long, tanned legs stretching out in front of her. We were home for the summer, our last summer before college graduation, and we wanted to make the most of our days together. Though we went to the same school, the University of Washington, Rose and I had different majors and different apartments, and therefore had different schedules and different lives that didn't really let us spend good time together like we'd like too.

"I'm not sure," I said, and then added the next part cautiously. "What is Jasper doing?" I tried to say it as casually as possible, flipping the photo album page nonchalantly, but Rose saw right through me.

She groaned. "Please don't tell me you're going to be like this all summer, mooning over my stupid brother?"

"Its tradition," I joked, but I could tell she didn't think it was too funny. "I'm sorry, I really will try not to do this anymore."

She gave me a skeptical look. "Why do I doubt that?"

"Because you know me too well," I sighed.

"You do remember he has a girlfriend, right?"

I frowned. "Unfortunately."

"Good, you need to keep that in mind. He's happy with her. Maria's a nice girl. Don't mess it up for him."

"Hey," I said, raising my hands up like I was being arrested, "I've never done a thing like that. I'll cry over him long before I'd try to sabotage his relationship. I love him, I don't want to make him miserable."

"I know," she sighed, sinking back into the couch and taking another long sip of her beer.

"It just worries me, Alice. You've been stuck on Jasper since we were what? Ten? Eleven?"

"Eight," I whispered.

"Shit, Alice, you've gotta stop this! When has he ever shown any signs of being interested in you? Like that?"

"Never," I said, wincing. "He thinks he's my big brother or some stupid crap like that."

Her eyes turned sympathetic. "I just think it's time you moved on. Meet new guys. You don't have to get over him overnight, sweetie, but you have to try. There are so many other guys out there who'd love to be with you. You're sweet and smart and have so much to offer. If Jasper hasn't seen how wonderful you are now, he might never get it, and you have to realize that."

I fought back a sob that was lurking deep in my chest. "I know," I said meekly, tears now spilling onto my cheeks.

"C'mere," she said, and pulled me into her arms so I could cry it out. The pain I felt in my heart spread to my chest and stomach, and slid into my head so that my entire body ached with sobs and the realization that Jasper might never love me back.

Even though I _knew _he loved me, even in some weird brotherly way, and could someday be _in love _with me, all thoughts of siblinghood gone, I had to face the idea that I could be wrong, that every feeling I felt down to my bones could just be wishful thinking on my end.

"I just love him so much," I whimpered. Rose merely stroked my hair in response.

"I know, sweetie, I know. I see how you look at him. I know."

That just made things worse, and before I knew it, I was crumpled into a little ball on the couch with my head in Rose's lap.

She let me cry myself to sleep, and covered me with a crocheted blanket Mrs. Hale had made when she broke her leg during our freshman year of high school. This is why Rose is my best friend. She could be a harsh bitch, but most of the time, she was the most caring person I'd ever met. _Besides Jasper. _

A few hours later, I'd woken up, head throbbing with a pulsing headache that went straight through my left eye, eyes swollen, nose stuffy and throat burning. Rose was sitting on the cushy armchair in the dark, flipping through TV channels at the blink of an eye.

"Damn it, Rose, you're gonna give me a seizure doing that!"

She smirked. "I see you're awake now."

"I'm sorry I ruined the day," I mumbled, rubbing my forehead. I felt like I had a hangover.

"I think its good you had this moment," Rose said, and I would be offended, but I knew she was right. I had to have the "a-ha!" moment sooner or later, and I supposed sooner was better, though I really wished it had been later. I could have done without the crippling emotional pain I still felt, and would keep on feeling probably for the rest of my life.

I didn't say anything, and just focused on the infomercial Rose had settled on. It was mindless, and I needed that.

It was at that moment, Jasper strolled in. He was wearing Wranglers and this damned sexy plaid shirt that showed off all his muscles, and his hair was doing that floppy in-the-eyes thing I'd loved since I was eight. My heart stuttered, and then raced in my chest just seeing him.

I couldn't help it. He was so beautiful, and I ached for him still. No matter what, I think I always will.

"How're my best girls today?" he said, not noticing my bloodshot eyes.

"Oh, just fine," Rosalie said before I could. "We're just being lazy, watching some TV."

Jasper chose to sit right next to me, and grabbed a corner of my blanket. "Gimme some!" he whined, and wrestled the blanket away from me. He was so close, I could smell his cologne and his own natural scent. I loved the way Jasper smelled. I felt myself unconsciously leaning towards him to catch a whiff or two more, but then I caught Rosalie's somber face, and I pulled back.

"Why are you watching this crap?" he asked, laughing at the infomercial's ridiculous script. 'Don't you hate it when your old knives don't let you cut through this old tin can?'

His laugh was so full of life, full of vigor and humor. _Stop this, Alice, _I scolded myself. _You're just torturing yourself needlessly. He doesn't want you._

And, just because life has to be cruel, Jasper's phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and flipped it open.

"Maria, sugar, how are you?" he crooned, and I wanted to die then and there.

"Wanna go out?" Rose said, and I nodded vigorously.

"Let's go meet some men!" I said, too enthusiastically.

Jasper's head whipped up, and he had an odd expression on his face, but he didn't say anything, and before I could question it, Rose was pulling me out the door for our night out.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks so much to my readers and reviewers!!! I'm glad you like it so far, it's going to be fun I hope. :-) Thank you Lea!!!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight. Shucks.**

Rose bustled me up the stairs, my bleeding heart making each step seem endless. She locked us into her bedroom, which hadn't really changed all that much since we were kids, although she had switched her pink lace curtains with some sleek white ones, and the bedspread no longer boasted purple My Little Ponies.

"Alright, honey, we are going to get you out of this house, away from my fucktard brother, and into the arms of another guy."

"But-"

"No buts. We are going to go out, get a drink, and pretend like we are having the best times of our lives. Got it?"

I nodded sadly. Usually I would fight her, or be enthusiastic, but there was no way I could be right now. My body was like lead.

Rose started pulling articles of clothes out of her closet, and I couldn't bring myself to care, which was a rare occurrence. I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with clothes or shopping, but it was a passion, and I loved to dress myself and others.

My roommate, Bella, liked to tease me that I was destined to become one of those "What Not to Wear" people because I was always letting her know when her shirt didn't quite match her earrings, and chastised her for wearing sweats when her boyfriend, Edward, was coming over, or things like that. I did it out of love, really I did.

But right now, I just wasn't in the mood. I couldn't stop thinking about Jasper.

"Alice!" Rose sounded impatient, like she had been trying to get my attention for a few minutes now.

"Sorry," I said, trying to focus.

"I said, do you want to borrow this shirt?" She held up a red, silky shirt that looked like it would barely cover her, but would fit me just fine.

"Sure," I said, perking up just the tiniest bit. I grabbed it from her, and yanked it off of the hanger. It would look good against my skin… but that wasn't the point. The point was, I was supposed to make another guy other than Jasper think it would look better on their floor.

My perk was gone again. Rose sighed. "You're depressing me, Alice," she said. "Come on! We're going to have fun, okay? Promise me."

"I'll try, as hard as I can, I promise. _Try. _No guarantees."

"That's better than nothing, I suppose," she sighed, and turned back to her closet.

"Now, I know we're just going out to the stupid tavern, but I want to look hot doing it. What do you think? Blue silk or white chiffon?"

"Chiffon, for sure."

An hour later, we strolled into the local bar, looking as if we owned the place. I put on my best happy face, and strolled right up the bar to order a Long Island Iced Tea. The bartender gaped openly at me and Rose, who ordered Sex on the Beach just to screw with the guy. We got our drinks right away, and then we strolled to the back booth so we could people watch without being watched.

"Okay, so, we're looking for a man for you… and maybe one for me…" Rose giggled.

Apparently, the drink affected her more quickly than me. Then again, I think today I could drink all night and still be completely sober.

"I'm not really seeing anybody," I said, and it was true. There were the usual hometown boys I'd known forever, and their father's home from logging all day. It was rare when new flesh came into town, and there was no one that caught my eye, tonight, or ever.

We sat, observing the crowd, and drained our drinks steadily.

"I gotta pee, go get us some more drinks!" Rose said her cheeks rosy and eyes bright. She was halfway to drunk, but I still felt like shit.

I walked to the bar, and ordered us the same drinks as before. I sensed a physical presence to my right, and I turned to face it. Before me stood a tall, muscular man, with curly brown hair and light brown eyes that crinkled as he smiled. He had adorable dimples to match.

"Well hello there," he said, in a playful but sexy voice. He was definitely hitting on me. He grabbed his own beer from the bar as the bartender handed it to him.

"Hi," I responded.

"What brings you here tonight?" he asked, leaning against the bar, and while his question was cheesy, there was nothing predatory about him. I prided myself on being able to read people well, and I sensed nothing but genuineness from him.

"I'm out with a friend, just having some fun," I said. Why hadn't I noticed him before in our preliminary scans of the bar? I definitely would have noticed him. For one thing, he was huge. I felt like an elf standing next to him.

"Oh yeah?" he said, a wide grin spanning his handsome face. "Care if I join you?"

I eyed him critically, and decided that the bar had enough witnesses to allow him. I gestured for him to follow me, and we walked back to the booth. Rose still hadn't come back.

"So, I believe introductions are in order. I'm Emmett," he said, stretching out his huge hand to take mine.

"I'm Alice," I said, shaking his hand, but my palm was easily half the size of his.

Thankfully, his grip was strong, but he didn't overuse his strength. I liked that. A man who could easily break me was being gentle.

"Nice to meet you," he grinned. "So where's this friend you're with?"

"I think she's still in the bathroom," I said, gesturing noncommittally.

"Well, I can't wait to meet her, too, if she's as beautiful as you," he said with that cheesy grin again. We made small talk for awhile, and I found out that he was relatively new to town, having moved here only a few years ago to become a police officer.

"Ooh, a cop, I like that," I said, trying my very best to flirt. He seemed to enjoy me looking up at him through my eyelashes, as that grin persisted. He kept checking out my boobs, which I'm sure should have offended me, but I really didn't care. He could stare at them all he wanted… he wasn't going to get to touch. Only Jasper… _Damn it, Alice!_

Eventually, Rose emerged from the bathroom. I wondered briefly what on earth had kept her.

"Damn it, they ran out of TP and I had to drip dry!" Rose wailed before noticing that I had company. The look on her face was priceless when she realized I wasn't alone. "Oh! Hello!" she said, giving me that specific best friend look that expressed everything from disbelief to admiration of my choice. Although I hadn't chosen him, he sort of chose me, if anyone had been chosen at all.

"Hola," Emmett said in the single most ridiculous seductive voice I've ever heard in my life, and I was about to say so when Emmett took her hand and kissed her knuckles. Rose blushed, and I mean absolutely one-hundred percent _blushed_. I watched the entire thing with utter fascination. I'd never once seen Rose blush in our entire friendship. Blushing was something Bella did. That girl was constantly some varying shade of red.

"Hello," Rose said seductively, allowing her curtain of blonde hair to frame her face, and she batted those blue eyes right at him. "I'm Rosalie."

"I'm Emmett, it's nice to meet you," he grinned.

It was then that they noticed I was still there, and Rose sat down quickly next to me, eyes looking at everything but me. I was bewildered by her behavior, but I had a pretty good idea of what this was about. It would take a blind guy not to notice, and even then, I'm sure he'd figure it out.

We all slipped into the small talk thing again, and Emmett proved to be a fun, sweet guy. And, I noticed that he was one hundred percent Rosalie's perfect guy. Apparently, she was just his type, too, because after I left to go to the bathroom, I saw them scoot closer to each other to exchange phone numbers.

That was just fine. Emmett was hot and all, but my heart wouldn't, or couldn't be in it. Besides, he had made Rose blush, and any guy who could do that definitely deserved to have another chance with her.

We stayed at the bar for a few more hours while I picked at my fingernail polish, trying desperately to not think about Jasper, while Emmett and Rosalie flirted shamelessly. They would make a cute couple, I mused, and took another sip of my Long Island Iced Tea. It was strong, and it made my head swim. Dammit, I was becoming a sad drunk.

"So, uh, Alice," Emmett said in the smooth voice he'd adopted. "I've got a friend from the station, Garrett, and I was wondering if you and Rosie here would like to come out with us one of these nights."

I waited for Rose to kick his ass for calling her 'Rosie', but the moment never came, and it soon occurred to me that they were waiting for an answer.

"Uh, sure," I said after taking in Rosalie's expression. It was saying _Say yes or die_. "That could be fun."

Much later, Rose and Emmett hugged at the door, and we waved goodbye. Rose and I had opted not to drive to the bar, seeing as how we'd be drinking, but now I wished I'd been the DD. Walking ten blocks in the dark, in heels, while intoxicated, was not my best idea ever.

"Isn't Emmett just SEXY?" Rose practically shouted. She was clinging to me as we walked, which didn't make the process any easier. "Seriously, Alice, I think I could LOVE him!"

"You're drunk," I said laughing.

"Okay, fine, I don't love him… yet… but damn, wouldn't he be nice to see him without his clothes on? I mean, can you imagine the size of his-"

"Rose! I don't want to imagine what his cock looks like, shut it!"

She giggled endlessly, stumbling a bit and reliving each moment with Emmett, analyzing the color of his eyes and just how muscular he'd be under all his clothes.

All I could think about was how I _knew _Jasper looked under all of his.

My mind dangerously careened into reminiscing, which I knew would be torture but I couldn't help myself.

_We were camping, in the middle of the woods not too far from Forks. It was the first trip Rosalie, Jasper and I took without any parents. I was sixteen, they were seventeen._

_We pitched our tents along a tiny creek meandering through the forest. The three of us were excited, finally having escaped our parent's supervision. Not that we were up to no good, but it was nice to not have them breathing down our necks. We had asked Jasper if he'd wanted to bring a friend along, but he had said he wanted to spend time with his little sisters._

_I wanted to rip out his tongue every time he uttered those words._

_Rose was fussing with the citronella candles and bug spray. She looked uncomfortable out here in the "wilderness", and I didn't blame her, but I kind of liked being close to the earth. It wasn't a spiritual thing, I don't think, just an appreciation. Washington really was beautiful. I appreciated its quiet trees and stunning landscapes._

_Jasper was trying to make a fire, something he wasn't especially adept at, and I adored the little furrow in his forehead as he fumbled with the kindling. He put intense concentration into most things he did, and this campfire was no exception. I loved watching his long fingers light the match, finally setting the wood ablaze, and seeing the look of triumph on his face._

"_Me man, build fire!" he grunted, pretending to be a caveman. I giggled, and Rose rolled her eyes, burrowing deeper into her coat._

"_Rose, it's not that cold," I chastised. _

"_Easy for you to say, you're standing by the fire."_

"_Which I built!" Jasper said proudly. "C'mon, lil' sis, let's break out the marshmallows!" He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, I wrapped my arm around his waist, and we walked to our gear._

_I grimaced at his choice of words, but brushed it aside. Someday he'd see things differently._

_We got Rose to join us that is until the wind changed directions and the smoke blew right into her face. She grew sulky, questioning why we were here in the first place, and slunk into our tent grumbling under her breath._

_Jasper and I exchanged an amused look. Rosalie always had the flair for dramatics when she wasn't getting her way. She zipped the tent angrily, and we tried our best not to burst into laughter._

"_So, Alice," Jasper said, and my heart skipped a beat. We were alone. At night._ _In the woods._ _By the fire. I loved the way the fire cast light across his face. He was so handsome. _

"_Yeah?" I asked eagerly._

"_You got any love interests?"_

Only one, _I thought to myself._

"_No, not really," I said, heart racing. "I mean, there is one boy I have my eye on, but I don't think he's interested."_

"_How can he not be interested? You're Alice Brandon! Whoever he is, he's a moron."_

"_No, I don't think that's it," I said coyly. "He's just… distracted. I think he'll see it someday."_

"_Well, I hope he realizes just what he has in you," Jasper said affectionately. I melted. All I wanted to do was launch myself into his arms. He hugged me all the time, and sometimes even kissed the top of my head, but I wanted much more than that. I wanted to banish all thoughts of 'little sister' right out of his head._

"_Thank you, Jasper," I said shyly, heart still pounding a tattoo in my chest. _

"_Just make sure he's worthy of you. I'd hate to have to kick his ass for hurting my baby sis," he said winking, and my entire body wilted. Defeat and sadness washed over my entire body. _

_I faked a laugh. "Yeah, that would suck!" My chest felt tight, and I tried really hard not to cry._

"_Well, I think I'm going to get changed," Jasper said, rising from his lawn chair we'd brought along. He rooted around the back of the pickup, looking for his bag of clothes. I sat at the fire, soaking up the heat and trying as hard as possible not to stare at him. No matter how much he'd unknowingly hurt me, I couldn't stop looking at him. _

_He disappeared behind a giant Sitka spruce, thinking he was caught in the shadow. He wasn't. _

_My heart started to race as he pulled off his sweatshirt and T-shirt, revealing his well-built body. He was muscular, but not gross looking. He looked powerful. His entire body was lean, and I could just make out the definition of muscles on his chest and stomach. My stomach twisted and my heart found itself lodged in my throat. It was hard to breathe. I had seen him without his shirt on many times, especially in the summer when we'd go swimming, but it was nothing like this. My body didn't react nearly as violently as it was now._

_All too soon, he had thrown a clean T-shirt over his head. But then… oh, but then, he reached for the button of his pants._

_My jaw dropped as his pants did. I unconsciously licked my lips as he kicked away the jeans. He was wearing black boxer briefs that made my mouth water. Even from here, I could tell that he was well-endowed. I shivered just thinking about it._

_I felt like a voyeur, some sort of creepy stalker, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. He was too sexy for his own good… for my own good. It was all I could do not to race over there and help him strip. My hands itched to memorize his body, my mouth tingled with the need to kiss him everywhere. But the shame of watching the man I loved undress without my permission got to me, and I looked away before he could remove the briefs and completely destroy all of my resolve. _

_Someday, I promised myself, he'd ask me to watch him undress, or maybe even ask me to help!_

_I felt shaky when he came back around the tree, looking comfortable in his pajama pants and extra large Forks High sweatshirt. My body ached to be closer to his. _

"_You gonna change?" he asked, apparently not hearing my pounding heart. I felt like the entire world could hear it. _

"_Uh, yeah," I said. "I'll just… in my tent…"_

"_You okay?" He looked concerned._

"_Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just sleepy, I guess. G'night, Jasper."_

"_G'night, Alice, sleep well." He gave me his signature smile that melted my heart every single time, and then he was climbing into his own tent, and I turned to mine._

"Alice?" Rose slurred, shaking my shoulders. "You okay? We're here."

We were standing in front of the Hale's house, which was dark inside save one light from Jasper's room. I sighed, thinking about him laying in bed, and wishing I could join him. I'd give anything to lay snuggled in his arms like we used to do when we were kids. Only with less clothes, and no Rose to interrupt.

"Yeah, Rose, I think I'm going to just sleep at my house tonight," I said. "I need to be alone, I think. Think some things through."

"Yeah, okay," she said, frowning. "I'll give you a call tomorrow, alright? We'll go to Port Angeles or something."

I gave her a weak smile and a nod, and then I teetered on my heels three houses down to my own home. I stripped and jumped into my silkiest pajamas, knowing that feeling something soft against my skin would make me feel better, and it did, though only a tiny bit. I settled into bed, mind swimming with thoughts of Jasper.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's read and reviewed. I really love hearing what you think, please let me know!!! :-) I always respond to every review. Just so you know, this fic is going to be from APOV the entire time. It'll be frustrating at times, but now we'll know how Alice feels. ;-) Thanks to LittleLea05 for beta-ing this for me. She's awesome. Hehe.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Drat.**

I woke up the next morning to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I had to catch it before it fell off my nightstand; the vibrations had sent it teetering over the edge. I still had a massive headache, no thanks to my crying and my alcohol intake the night before.

"'Lo?" I said groggily. The bright sunshine was piercing through my skull.

"Wake up sleepy head!" Rosalie crooned, and I wished I could have smacked her across the face. She had drank more than me last night, why wasn't she passed out in bed still? Stupid blonde lush…

"Can you please not be so happy? My brain is going to bleed out my ears," I moaned.

"What's the matter with you? This is not the Alice I know and love!"

"Well, your Alice has taken a tiny vacation," I said. "She's trying to nurse a hangover and a broken heart simultaneously."

"I know just the cure! Plenty of water and let's indulge in some shopping therapy!"

Normally, I would have been over the moon about that idea, but at the moment…

"I dunno, Rose-"

"No. We're going. End of story. We're going to find you something hot to wear when you meet Emmett's friend tonight!"

"Tonight?! But-"

"No buts." Damn it. I hated when she persisted like this. I knew she was right, and that she had my best interests at heart… but I still wanted to put an ice pick through her ear at this very moment. "I'll pick you up in an hour. Be ready or I'll drag you out by your hair."

"You will not touch my hair, Rosalie Hale!" My hair was my baby, long and flowing down my back. I loved my hair.

"Oh, get your panties out of a knot and I'll see you soon," she said, and hung up without another word. I glared at the phone, and dragged myself out of bed before I got too comfortable and slept until next Wednesday. Dreaming, of course, of Jasper.

I jumped in the shower and let the hot water pound on my body. I used my vanilla body wash, the one I knew Jasper loved. After he'd told me I smelled good enough to eat, I'd bought the entire line of lotions and body wash. It was pathetic, but I really, really wanted him to _eat_ me… God, why couldn't I get him out of my mind? I mean, he was always there, but now that I had to somehow give him up, it was like he was fighting back, making sure I could never ever forget him.

What was I going to do?

I got out and dried myself off, and stared at myself in the foggy mirror. I looked like shit. This was no good.

I did all the primping things I was used to: makeup, hair, picking out the perfect outfit, and then went downstairs to grab an apple and some toast. Rose burst through the door just as I was draining my glass of milk.

"Damn, you look hot!" she said. "That's the Alice I know and love!"

I looked down at my black short shorts and red lacy halter top, and shrugged. "It's hot out," I explained. Though, I did have to admit, I looked pretty sexy. Now to stop by the Hales and give Jasper an eyeful…

"Well, I don't care why you're wearing it. Guys in Port Angeles will be flocking at you!"

"Just so long as I can beat them away with a stick," I joked.

"I'm not even going to respond to that," Rose said, and ripped off the corner of my toast, popping it in her mouth. "Okay, let's go hun!"

An hour later, we were driving into Port Angeles. The sky was clear, and you could just barely make out Vancouver Island on the horizon. I really did enjoy this town. Being near the water always made me happy. Besides, I could just make out yachts out on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I could just imagine Jasper and I living it up on the water, sipping champagne and making love in the captain's quarters…

Rose dragged me to several stores, and I definitely picked up as we surrounded ourselves with satin and lace and accessories. Apparently, Rose and Emmett had planned our double date for tonight, here in Port Angeles, so Rose and I would stay in town all day. We picked out a body-skimming midnight blue dress, which had a low neckline and fell to mid-thigh, for me, and a deep red silky dress for Rosalie. Emmett was going to go wild for her, I could tell.

We ate lunch at a nice bistro, and I lost myself in the pleasantness of this day. I wasn't thinking about Jasper, or how I had to go on a blind date tonight. I was enjoying the sun and my best friend. I felt more like myself now, shopping bags by my side.

"So, you talked to Emmett already then?" I asked, taking a huge bite of my Panini. "That was fast."

Rose _nearly _blushed. "He called me after I'd gotten home," she said stiffly, as if she were defending herself. I didn't care. She and Emmett were more than welcome to do whatever they wanted. She shouldn't have been embarrassed to tell me.

"Wow, he works fast," I said, and this time she really did blush. Damn.

She sipped on her water, looking everywhere but me, and when I finally caught her eye, I raised my eyebrows and she caved. "We talked on the phone all night, Alice. I didn't sleep at all last night! We just clicked, you know? I know he was super cheesy at the bar, but he's so sweet, and funny, and sexy as hell, and I just want to squeeze him, you know? He's like a big teddy bear, and I just want to… snuggle… with him."

Whoa. Rose wanted to _snuggle. _That was epic in and of itself. I guess that shock flickered across my face, because Rose bit her lip and looked embarrassed _again. _

"I'm happy for you," I finally said, and she looked relieved.

"I know I'm acting silly, I mean, I just met him last night, but damn it, Alice, I really like him. _Really _like him."

I reached out and grabbed her hand. "I can tell… and I can tell he likes you, too. I'm pretty sure you guys are perfect for each other. I just have a feeling about it." She smiled at me gratefully.

"Do you know much about this Garrett guy?"

"Who? Oh, his friend? No, not really. We just focused on each other, really. It was… amazing. I've never felt so connected to another person before, not even you, Ali… and that's saying something."

That really _was_ saying something. Rosalie and I had always referred to ourselves as hetero life-mates. I could finish her sentences and she always seemed to know what I was thinking, and how to either help me out or get it off my mind. The very idea that Rose had found someone that could be more in tune with her than me made me sad, but then I thought about Jasper, and how I was sure that once we were on the same page, we'd be right there with Rose and Emmett.

Damn it and I had been doing so well…

Rose read my expression and frowned. "Stop thinking about him!"

I grinned. "You do know me well, Rose."

"I'm just trying to look out for you, sweetie. My jackass brother isn't worth all this heartache, believe me."

_Oh, but he was…_

"Maybe Garrett'll be my knight in shining armor," I joked.

Rosalie and I used the bathroom of a tiny coffee shop to dress and do our makeup, to the annoyance of the owners, I'm sure. Emmett and Garrett were supposed to meet us at an Italian place near the waterfront. Rose was giddy with excitement, and she had a lot more energy than even I did.

"Calm yourself!" I hissed as we stood outside the restaurant waiting for the guys. Rose was doing a dance that reminded me of a kid that had to pee. Her eyes were wildly scanning the streets, looking for Emmett.

I was nervous, too, but not beside myself with anticipation. I just hoped that Garrett was enough of a distraction to get my mind off of Jasper. I couldn't stop imagining the different ways he'd take me in this dress… Would he strip me down first, or just pull it up and move my panties aside? Would he lay me on a horizontal surface, or just take me up against the wall? Maybe from behind?

Damn it, I was drenched just imagining it.

"There they are!" I followed Rosalie's gaze, and saw Emmett and an extremely handsome man walking down the street towards us. I guessed it was Garrett.

Well, the boy was not unfortunate looking. He was tall, though not nearly as tall as Emmett, with sandy brown hair pulled back into a pony tail, and hazel eyes. He had a nice lean body, and a beautiful smile. I wasn't a huge fan of guys with long hair, but I think I could make an exception with him.

"Aloha!" Emmett said, and I noticed that his eyes were trained on Rosalie the whole time. She was staring back just as intently, and she was blushing again. Damn, three times in two days. An unprecedented record.

I turned my gaze to Garrett, giving Rose and Emmett some goo-goo eyes time, and smiled up at him. "Hi, I'm Alice," I introduced myself, holding out my hand.

He took it and shook it firmly. "Hey, I'm Garrett," he returned. I liked his voice, it was deep and slightly gravelly. I hoped it didn't mean that he smoked. I, like Jasper, despised cigarettes. I took a deep breath, pretending not to check out his scent, but didn't notice any tobacco mixed with the musk of his soap. Well, good. His voice was sexy naturally.

"It's really nice to meet you. You work with Emmett?"

"Yeah, we're both new to Forks, and we're the only guys that aren't on Ensure at the station," he said, laughing. It was a smooth, sexy sound, and I couldn't help but grin with him.

If I couldn't be with Jasper, I supposed I could make do with Garrett… for now.

We were seated near the window of the restaurant, and we could see the lights of the ships out on the strait. It really was beautiful. Rosalie and Emmett sat next to each other, and giving each other bedroom eyes the entire time. Luckily, it wasn't awkward at all to sit next to Garrett. He wasn't looming, nor creepy. He kept his arms and legs to himself, and engaged me in conversation when Rose and Emmett were being otherwise anti-social… towards the rest of the world, at least.

"What are you going to school for?" he asked pleasantly, munching on a breadstick.

"You're going to laugh and say I have no future."

"I highly doubt that."

"Well, if you did, you'd be just like my parents. They're not exactly supportive, but I figure, hey, art is my passion, why not?"

"So you're an art major?"

"Yup." I took a sip of my wine. "I work with lots of different mediums. Right now I'm working on a painting for my mom's office, although it's rather dull. She wants me to use pastels." I used the word like it was dirty. Pastel was fine for Easter morning, but that was about it.

"I think that's great," he said. "So, do you work with a lot of nudes?"

I burst into laughter as he grinned at me with perfect straight teeth. His eyes did a little crinkly thing when he smiled, it was adorable.

"What would you say if I said yes?" I was teasing, though I wasn't lying.

"I'd say, can I come to class with you? Or maybe pose for you?"

I looked him up and down purposefully. Oh yes, he'd be a fine specimen. I smirked. "I don't think so. You're not quite the look I go for."

I took another sip of wine as he guffawed. "You don't know what you're missing out on," he teased.

"I'm sure I don't."

It was odd, unsettling even, to flirt with someone other than Jasper. Yes, I'd dated other guys, particularly when I was in Seattle, and even fooled around with a few, but my heart was never really in it. I'd given my heart a long, long time ago to Jasper, fully and completely.

Even now, my heart was still 100% Jasper's, but I had to admit I liked Garrett. He seemed smart and funny and he was completely different than Jasper, not that Jazz wasn't smart or funny. Quite the opposite, actually. The boy was a brain, and never once failed to make me laugh. Then again, I was a slightly biased audience.

Garrett and I spent the rest of the night teasing our friends about their besotted behavior. I didn't push Rose too harshly, though. First of all, a cornered and annoyed Rosalie is a bitchy Rosalie, and second, I'd never seen her happier, even after two evenings with Emmett. Just because I couldn't be happy doesn't mean she couldn't.

Garrett drove me home. Emmett wanted to escort Rosalie home, and who was I to stop them? We followed close behind in Garrett's car, while we sang along with cheesy 80s hair band music, and Garrett told me a little bit more about himself. He really was a nice guy, so when he asked for my number and if he could see me again another night without Rose and Emmett, I said yes.

"Just so you know, though," I said as I handed him back my number on a tiny square of paper, "I'm sort of in love with someone else, and not to make you sound like a rebound or anything, but…"

"An ex?"

"No… but I've loved him a long time, and I don't see myself getting over him any time soon. I just want to be fair to you. Right now, I'm not in this 100%. But you're a nice guy, and I'd like to get to know you."

"I understand, Alice. But I'm gonna be honest, you're smokin' hot and I like you. I'd like to get to know you, and I don't _necessarily _mean that in the Biblical sense, but if it comes to that I'm not going to say no." He grinned, and I couldn't help but smile back. He reached out and took my hand, kissing it like a gentleman in an old school movie. It was charming, but it didn't make my heart melt.

"G'night, Garrett," I said, stepping out of the car in front of my house.

"Do you want me to see you in?" He looked so adorable asking me, even if his ponytail and sports car made him look otherwise dangerous.

"That's okay," I said, and slammed the car door, giving him a little wave as I stepped through my front door. My parents were gone, as usual, and my first thought was to call Rose like I did most nights, but then I remembered that she and Emmett were probably fogging up her car door windows at this exact same moment, and would probably assassinate me later if I interrupted.

I sighed and got ready for bed. My head was still swimming with thoughts, and my head was still pounding in my skull, despite my marginally improved mood. I sank into my satiny sheets, and listened to my iPod while I tried in vain to calm my restless mind. No matter how many boy band ballads I played, I still felt like crap. Besides, I had always pictured Jasper singing these songs to me, since I was a pre-teen, so it wasn't exactly helping the situation.

Somewhere around the hour of four am, I got a text from Rosalie. _COME OVER FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING, _it said, and I had a feeling it would have to do with how many orgasms she'd just had.

It wouldn't hurt if I had one right now thinking about Jasper, would it? Nope, didn't think so. I reached into my underwear and pretended he was loving me nice and proper.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to everyone's reviews. I really hope you guys like this and will stick with me!!! :-) This is a fun one for me to write. I like making Alice something beyond the stereotype she's often painted as. Also, I have to do some major pimpage for EmmaleeWrites05 & LittleLea05's fic, "Reservations." If you love Em/B as much as me, you'd best be making your way over to their fic!!! They've both been super amazing betas for me, and they're super awesome storytellers, so please check them out. Plus, you have the added incentive of Emmett in football pants. ;-) Also, thanks so much to KellBellsCullen for giving me the great idea of Alice having long hair and then... well, you'll see. Totally her idea, but I think it fits. :-) **

**Disclaimer: Same as always, I don't make money from this, I don't own it. I just derive huge amounts of pleasure from reviews. :-)**

I walked into the Hale's kitchen the next morning with a smile. I felt much more like myself today. I enjoyed mornings, they were so bright and promising, even in Forks. Not even the grey clouds this morning could get me down!

Rosalie was at the kitchen table, guzzling down a glass of water. She looked tired, but happy, too. I suspected this was the second night in a row she hadn't gotten much sleep.

"G'morning, Rose!" I said, pouring myself some orange juice. This house was more of a home to me than my own, so I didn't ask permission before I rooted through the fridge, looking for some cottage cheese and fruit. I grabbed the almost empty container, and a handful of grapes, and settled at the table across from Rosalie. She had dark circles under her eyes, but the eyes themselves were bright.

"So… how was last night?" I prompted.

"It was amazing, Alice! He's amazing. Emmett is everything I've ever wanted and more. And damn it he is a good kisser…" Her eyes wandered, and I imagined she was reliving it.

"Is that all you two were up to?" I smirked.

"Mary Alice Brandon, of course it was! What kind of girl do you take me for?" I raised my eyebrows at her. "Alright, I'm very easily that kind of girl, but it's not like that with him. It _will be, _but not yet. It's special with him."

I smiled at her. "I'm so happy for you, Rose," I said. "You deserve to be happy after Royce."

She shuddered. "I don't even wanna think about him," she said, frowning.

"Sorry."

"Whatcha sorry for?" Jasper said, striding into the kitchen. My eyes danced over his pajama clad body, admiring the way I could see his muscles ripple through his white T-shirt.

"I'm sorry Rose ever met Royce King," I said, and he snorted in agreement.

"That guy was a total douche bag. I'm so glad you got rid of him, Rosie."

"Don't. Call. Me. That." Rose said between her clenched teeth. She hated being called Rosie… by everyone except Emmett, apparently.

"Well still, I'm glad he's gone." Jasper had found himself a bowl of cereal, and was now sitting next to me at the table. I warned myself at all costs to not check out his package which was clearly defined in his pajama pants. He never wore underwear to bed, something I blessed and cursed him for daily. I tried not to think about the fact that just moments ago, he'd probably woken up with morning wood.

Damn it, Alice, stop torturing yourself! He'd probably gotten rid of it thinking about his girlfriend. That thought alone had me wilting, and I was properly distracted to become a part of the conversation.

"So, did you guys have fun in Port Angeles," Jasper asked conversationally.

"Yeah, we met up with Emmett and Garrett after some shopping."

Jasper's eyes narrowed. He was going into protector mode, and I loved it. I could just picture him doing the same thing for our children someday. _And, it's back. _

"Who's Emmett and Garrett?" he spat.

"Emmett McCarty is a cop in town. We met him two nights ago at the bar. He tried to pick up Alice, but I caught his eye instead," Rosalie said. "And he's important, so don't go fixing to kick his ass. You'd probably go to jail for beating up a cop," she added, smirking.

"And who's Garrett?" He looked at me with those piercing blue eyes, and I wanted to tremble, and not because he was intimidating me. I wanted to take him to bed _right now. _

His jaw was tensed, and I wanted to lick its contours. Caught up in the jaw porn, I suddenly realized Jasper's mouth was moving, but I wasn't hearing what he was saying.

"Huh?"

"Ali, who the hell is this guy? Do you even know him? How can you trust him, how could you have let him take you home last night? He could have…" Apparently, Rose had informed him of who Garrett was.

"He was a perfect gentleman," I shot back. "You don't have to go all Mama Bear on me, I can take care of myself."

He softened slightly. "I know you can, sissy," he said, and I recoiled from his reassuring hand. Every time I heard it, it was a punch to the gut. "I just worry. I care about you, and Rose, too. I want to make sure you're safe."

"Garrett is fine, don't worry. He's a cop, for Christ's sake!" I exclaimed. "Just… don't worry, Jasper."

"If you say so," he said, and kissed my forehead. Unicorns and butterflies and fucking rainbows shone in front of my eyes. I couldn't be mad at him when he pulled stunts like that. Any time he put his mouth on me, even in the most chaste of ways, I was goo.

Rosalie shot me a look, and I tried to lose the dazed look I knew I was sporting. "I'm gonna go… um… back yard."

I walked out of the kitchen as fast as I could, knowing I was a horrible blushing mess. I loved the fact that Jasper was protective of me, but I didn't want him to protect me as a brother. Even more so, I wanted him to be _jealous. _Green-eyed-monster, can't see straight, raging, beyond reason _jealous. _

The Hales had a wide, covered back porch, with a nice, padded porch swing. I had watched many a summer storm from this place, and drank many, many beers with Rose and Jasper here. Our first one was an act of rebellion, long before it was legal.

"_Here, take it," Jasper prodded my fifteen year old self. _

"_But… this is _beer,_" I said, exhilarated and disgusted at the same time. "Won't we get in trouble?" _

_He laughed. "Who's gonna see?" He pulled off the bottle cap, and snapped it across the yard like he'd done it a million times before. I wondered if he and his guy friends had been drinking out in the woods. Felix and Peter never were very good influences. "Just relax and try it. You might like it."_

_I stared at the bottle in my hand, taking a whiff through its open top. I wrinkled my nose. _

_Jasper laughed. "You're supposed to drink it, not smell it."_

_I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath before I held the bottle to my lips. I took a tentative sip, and tried very hard not to spit it back up._

"_Jasper, that's disgusting!" I screeched, smacking my tongue against the roof of my mouth in distaste. "How can you drink that?!" He had hunched over in laughter, clutching at his side. "I'm very glad I could amuse you," I said._

"_Alice, you should have seen your face," he gasped. Eventually, his laughter subsided after he noticed I wasn't laughing with him._

"_I'm never drinking with you again, Jasper Hale," I said petulantly. _

"_I doubt that," he said, grin still wide on his face. "I hated my first beer, too. But I'll bet you'll like it someday, even if it's bitch beer… cuz you know you're a terrible bitch."_

"_Yeah, I'm a hater," I said, giggling. _

"_You know it," he said as he took a big swig of his beer._

I felt the porch swing shift, and Jasper sat carefully next to me.

"One of these days, this thing is gonna break," he said with a smile. "We're bigger than we used to be. Well, you're not, but that's beside the point." He grinned at me, and I returned the smile. "Hey, are you okay?" He wrapped his arm around me, and I leaned into him, taking in his masculine scent. I wanted to be surrounded by it.

"I'm fine," I sighed. "Just have a lot of things rattling around in my brain."

He toyed with the ends of my hair. "You can always talk to me if you need. I'm here for you, always."

I hugged him to me, realizing he was still in his pajamas and I could feel his body heat radiating through his thin T-shirt. Gahh. I couldn't help but nuzzle my face into his neck and latch on tight. "I know you are," I mumbled into his neck.

I couldn't help but notice, or maybe it was my muddled and hopeful mind, that Jasper shivered a little and his pulse kicked up as I did so. I really, really, _really _hoped I hadn't hallucinated it. As it was, his breath hitched and he pulled me closer to him. We were wrapped in each other's arms, my legs curled up in his lap, and I hadn't been this happy in a good long while. Content to just hold each other like this, we didn't say anything, just snuggled on the porch for what seemed like forever. I was in heaven. I closed my eyes and savored his scent, synchronizing our breathing.

His lips brushed the top of my head once, then twice, and he squeezed me once more before easing back. He had an unreadable expression on his face. I wanted to kiss that look off his face until it was nothing but love and lust. I would… I wanted to… I was so close… but I was reminded he had Maria, and I could never entice him to cheat. That was just wrong.

My hand leaned against his thigh, and I could feel him jump under my touch._ God, please let him be affected by me, _I thought.

"Alice…" he started to say, but then Rosa-fucking-lie had to stick her head out the door and call me into the house.

I sighed and smiled at Jasper sadly before I went back into the house.

I was sorely tempted to kill Rose. "What the hell do you want?" I seethed.

"I saw you out there. What were you trying to do? You keep being that close to him, you're never going to get over him! And he'll never stop thinking of you as his little sister that he needs to hold and protect."

I thought about that. It was true. Jasper always held me until I felt better, always took care of me when I felt sad or angry, and I loved him for it. But I wanted him to see me as a woman. I wanted him to work to hold me, not assume it was a given.

I had to be unattainable. Make him work for my attention. Make him fight for me. It was the only way. Jasper had to see me as Alice, not his baby sister.

"You're right," I finally admitted.

"I know I am," she said. "Now, I need to tell you everything about the way Emmett kissed me goodnight."

I rolled my eyes and followed her to her bedroom.

Hours later, Rosalie had finally run out of adjectives to describe Emmett's mouth, and we were lounging in the living room watching _Say Yes to the Dress. _I couldn't help but think of the dress Rose would choose when she and Emmett married, or the one I'd wear when Jasper…

I was a hopeless case.

"Know what?" Rose said lazily, reaching for her Diet Coke and missing by inches from her prone position.

"What?"

"You would look really hot with short hair."

My hands flew up to my long, wavy locks and shot Rose a panicked look. "What do you mean?! I can't cut my hair! It's my baby!"

She laughed. "It's just hair, it'll grow back. Besides, I think it'd be super cute since you're all tiny and whatnot, if you had short, spiky hair. Like a fairy."

I hated being called a fairy, or pixie, or any other approximation, but as I fingered the same lengths of hair that Jasper had out on the porch, I suddenly felt like Rose could be right. I longed for change in my life, specifically in the area of Jasper, but what would make me feel different, and make Jasper see me in a new way? A haircut could be a step in the right direction.

Still, I couldn't help but feel a bolt of panic at the idea of shedding my locks.

"Fine," I said before I could change my mind. "I'll do it."

"What?! I didn't expect-"

"No, I'm going to do it. As soon as possible. It's time for a change. I've had this hair for… years…" I choked out the word, "and why should I always stay the same?"

She grinned at me. "Awesome! Want me to do it?"

"Hell no!" Rose had the touch for makeup, but not for hair. There was a reason she was a mechanical engineer major; her talents were best left to cars and other machinery. When we were kids, she tried to convince me she could cut my hair just like Ariel from _The Little Mermaid_, bangs included, and we had tried… Five minutes later, I had been wailing, and Mrs. Hale was trying to salvage the back of my hair, which had been chopped in uneven, chunky layers.

"I'm _still _sorry about that," she giggled.

"Well, you are still not forgiven. That's the whole reason I have long hair now. I was traumatized. So I'm going to a professional. And we're going now."

"Now?" Her forehead creased with questions. "But… now? Really?"

"I'm motivated. C'mon, you're coming with me. You can get French tips or something."

An hour later, I was fighting back tears as my inky black strands were falling to the floor. I knew in my heart it was a good, cleansing step, but I was still dying a little bit on the inside. My hair was who I was: free, a little bit wild, and fun to grab onto. The hairdresser's scissors were sure and quick, and before I knew it, she was whirling around my chair to reveal my new look.

My eyes widened as I took in the new girl in the mirror. I looked older somehow, and my cheekbones really stood out. The hairdresser had styled it so that my hair was in chaotic spikes, and she had merely trimmed my bangs so that some of the familiar showed through.

"Alice, you look beautiful!" Rose squealed. "I knew you would! How do you feel?"

"Weird," I said, running the strands through my hair. It surprised me, how quickly my fingers passed through. "But I think I like it."

"My nails need to dry some more, and then we need to go celebrate that hair!"

"Rose," I said dryly, "you've been awake for almost sixty hours now. I _think _it may be time for you to get some sleep."

As if on cue, she yawned. "You may be right about that. The next time I see Emmett, I need to not have purple bags under my eyes."

"Yeah, cuz otherwise you're a hag," I teased. Rosalie couldn't look haggard to save her life, she was too beautiful for that, and she knew it. I sometimes felt envious of my best friend. She had perfect blonde hair, perfect lips, perfect skin, perfect breasts, perfect long legs, perfect everything.

My only consolation was that in her I had no competition for Jasper, except maybe as best little sister. I ran my fingers through my hair again, and took a good long look at myself.

Maybe this would change a few things.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks again so much to everyone who has reviewed. I love each and every review, and I always respond to each one, so please let me know what you think. Don't be shy!!! :-) Thanks as always to LittleLea05, she gets the chapter back to me in like 20 minutes, I swear!!! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, but I kind of sort of own the plot... ish. **

I didn't see Jasper for a few days after my haircut. He was looking for work, and for some reason, we kept missing each other. I was sad. I was so eager for him to see my new haircut and just how hot I looked.

I still couldn't believe I'd made such a hasty, impulsive decision like that, but I felt good about it. I'd noticed that whenever Rose and I had gone out to the grocery store or other places around town, I'd been getting long looks and double takes from people, most especially men. Although their leering wasn't exactly welcomed, it was nice to know that I stood out.

Now to find out what Jasper thought. I'd always imagined his fingers running through my hair as we kissed. Could I still picture it? I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair. Yeah, I could still imagine it.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Rose said, a smirk evident in her voice.

"Nothing." _Fantasizing about Jasper running his fingers through my hair while he fucks me roughly on the back of his motorcycle._ _Mmm, leather jacket…_

"Whatever, you're having pervy thoughts about my brother, and that's just gross."

"Not in my head…" I muttered.

"Call Garrett. You need to get out. I'm going out with Emmett tonight, and you are _not _invited, and you need a distraction. Show off that sexy hairdo of yours. Make it look like bedhead." She winked.

"Whatever," I grumbled. I went into the Hale's living room, taking over the couch, and called Garrett, and before I knew it, I had a date for this evening. He wanted to go bowling. I didn't have the heart to tell him I wasn't getting in those bowling shoes for anything in the world. I still wasn't sure what I was going to do once we got there, but perhaps bringing an arsenal of Lysol would help…

I could hear a distant rumble, and realized Jasper was coming home on his motorcycle. That thing was his baby. He'd gotten it as a high school graduation present from his parents, and most of the time he couldn't ride it, seeing as how the weather in Forks was usually pretty sketchy, and he couldn't take it with him to school at Portland State.

I casually looked out the living room window, and saw Jasper park his bike and dismount. Then I spent the rest of the time trying not to have a heart attack watching him take off his helmet and shake out his honey blonde hair so it fell into his eyes, trying not fantasize about the way his leather jacket and plain white T-shirt fit, the way his jeans were just a little snug, and trying extremely hard not to think about the word _mount._

He tucked his helmet under his arm, and ran his fingers through his hair. Damn it, you could film this and sell it as soft-core porn, and here I was, completely privy to it for free almost any time I wanted. Sometimes I loved my life.

"Hey, Alice," Jasper said as he strolled in the front door, tossing his keys onto the coffee table in the foyer. "Long time no-" He paused mid-sentence when he turned the corner and saw me, staring at me with his mouth gaping slightly. I blushed, and stood and twirled for him, I just couldn't help myself.

"Like it?" I said nervously. I ran my fingers through it. I wanted to give him ideas, what can I say?

"Why?" His eyes were still wide.

"Just felt like a change," I said flippantly. "Whadduya think?"

"It looks great," he said, and I nearly jumped up and down when his voice cracked on the word 'great.' "You look really beautiful, Alice."

He reached out as if he wanted to touch it, but he snapped his hand back and ran it through his own hair. "Right. Well… I'm gonna go… change…" He was up the stairs like a shot, and I felt confused. Did he like it, or hate it? For certain, he was treating me differently. Normally, he would have rumpled up my hair or made some sort of stupid little sister comment. But he said "beautiful" and "Alice" in the same sentence. That had to be good, right?

Rose and I were having lunch by the time Jasper made it back downstairs. He had taken a shower, and, shock of all shockers, my mind went there instantly. His wet bangs were hanging in his eyes, and I bit my lip. He was utterly delectable.

"So, Ali and I have dates tonight," Rose said casually, finishing up her last bite of sandwich.

"With your little cop buddies?" He was still upset about that, but I couldn't tell why.

"Yeah, what of it?" Rose challenged.

"Well, where are you going?" Damn. Daddy Jasper was making an appearance……….. Fuck, why did he always have to present these lovely little fantasy segues? It was just way too easy. No wonder my libido was always on full throttle.

"Emmett and I are going to a movie. I'm not sure what Garrett and Alice are doing," she shrugged, and Jasper's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he stared between the two of us.

"You mean you're not doubling?" Wow, this was completely out of character for Jasper. He was normally a completely laid back, go with the flow kind of guy, and I had never witnessed this level of protectiveness from him before. I'm not going to lie, it was incredibly hot.

"No, what are we, fifteen? We aren't going to group date every time." Rose rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah, but what if Garrett… or Emmett… tries something? What are you going to do?"

My heart leapt at his initial attack of Garrett and Garrett alone.

"Karate chop him and send up the Bat-Jasper signal so you know where to find us," Rose said, clearly annoyed with Jasper's behavior. I was merely astonished, trying to figure out what was making him behave this way.

"Jasper, we'll be okay," I said, resting my hand on his forearm. He stared at it for a second, and then yanked his arm back hard.

"Whatever. Just call me if he… they… try anything funny."

There it was again. Damn, he was making my head spin with confusion.

"And I wanna meet these clowns when they come to get you!" Jasper called as Rose and I bounded up the stairs to get ourselves ready. Sure, our dates weren't for a few more hours, but we had a lot to do to get ourselves ready.

My heart was thudding out of control. Better than older-brother-protective mode, Jasper hadn't once mentioned those two disgusting words I loathed so much. I wished I could be a mind reader, or maybe a psychic, so that know what was going on, or would go on with him. Jasper had always been an internal sort of guy, feeling things internally instead of expression. He was so hard to read.

"Should I wear my sexy underwear tonight?" Rose asked me, rooting through her drawers.

"I dunno, is Emmett gonna see them?" I asked, laughing.

"Probably… maybe… I hope so!" she said with a dreamy smile. I was still astonished daily by the way she talked about Emmett. Rose wasn't exactly one to gush about any of her previous conquests. That's because that's what they were: conquests. She decided when and where and who, and this was the first time I'd ever seen her questioning what might happen between her and some guy. But apparently Emmett wasn't just some guy, he was changing her without her even realizing it, and much faster than I could believe. But I think he could be good for her, I was happy for her.

"Well, if he does, then you should definitely be wearing _those," _I said, gesturing to the brand new Victoria Secret bra and panty set she bought when we went shopping in Seattle before coming home for the summer. They were deep plum and lacy, and Emmett would lose his mind if he ever saw them. Which he would. I might not be able to read Jasper, but Rose and Emmett were obvious enough that anyone could tell.

"Yeah. Now what about you?"

"Well, for sure, Garrett's not going to be seeing any of my underwear," I smirked.

"There's no way."

"Yeah, fine, but what are you going to wear?"

"He wants to go _bowling,"_ I said with a nasty look on my face. "So I guess my sexy jeans and that new black top I got in Port Angeles. You know, the one with the cap sleeves and empire waist?"

"Of course," Rose said, rolling her eyes. "And you'll look fabulous, my darling."

"I know," I said, laughing, though I was doing nothing but having an internal struggle with how to deal with Jasper. If I could only know what he was thinking…

A few hours later, it was dusk and Rose and I were heading down the stairs to wait for the boys. Jasper was gone. I felt disappointed. I wanted to see him before we left. At the very least, I hoped I could squeeze out a bit more from him to gauge what he was thinking.

Emmett came first for Rosalie, and she ran out the door like she was on fire. I saw them kissing the second she got in the door, and then they were off like a shot down the street. Garrett came only a few minutes after, waving and grinning as he stopped at the curb.

"Hiya, Alice," he said with a grin. He looked like he wanted to greet me with a kiss, but he stopped himself, and I was grateful.

"Hi Garrett," I said as I buckled in. "How are you?"

"I've been good, busy at work. Not much goes on around here, but the twelve-hour shifts'll get you every time."

"I'm sure," I said. "So… you really wanted to go bowling?"

"Unless you don't want to," he said. "We could just go out for a drink and talk."

"That sounds good," I said, internally sighing with relief.

Two hours later, I was laughing with tears running down my face. Garrett was hilarious and sweet, and I found that all my confusion melted away when I was with him. I felt nothing for him, but it was nice to be around him. I could easily see us becoming really good friends, and I even thought of a good friend of mine from UW I could set him up with. Kate and Garrett would make a really nice couple.

"So, you want to come back to my place and watch a movie or something?" he asked as he finished his beer.

"Garrett… please, don't push this. I like spending time with you, I really do, but I told you before, I really don't have feelings for you like that."

He took my hand in his. "I know sweetheart. I'm honestly finding myself in the same boat. I just don't feel that kind of connection with you, no sparks."

"Exactly!" I said, happy he understood. "I want to be your friend, for sure, but I have no romantic interest in you. No offence."

"None taken," he said, smiling at me and squeezing my hand gently.

"I think I might have a friend for you, though."

"Oh really now?" He looked amused.

"Yeah, I go to school with her. Her name's Kate and she's from Alaska. Very sweet."

"You'll have to show me her picture."

We drove back, and he asked me about Jasper. Well, not directly Jasper, but "that guy who has you so entirely devoted." I gave him the Reader's Digest version of our friendship/relationship/whatever the hell you want to call it, and Garrett seemed supportive.

"You want me to make him jealous? Kiss you right in front of him and stuff? Cuz I mean, I don't see you as a girlfriend or anything, but I'd be more than willing…"

I burst into laughter. "Thanks for the offer, but I don't think so. Although you might have a point."

I thought about it for a minute. Would be it good if Jasper saw me kiss another man? Let him see me as a sexual person? Would it spur jealousy and create an 'Ah ha, Alice isn't a little girl anymore' moment? Or would that discourage him?

Just then, I got a text from Rose. _Hey, can you go by my house? Jasper texted me, he sounded upset._

How do you sound upset in a text?

"You can just drop me off at Rose's house," I said, and he gave me a look. First Rose, now Garrett… "Rose asked me to," I explained.

"Okay," he said, and a few minutes later, he was pulling up in front of the Hale's house. The house was completely dark, so I pulled out my key.

"Thank you so much for tonight, Garrett. We should do this again."

He smiled and nodded. "And bring that friend of yours with you!"

"Will do. G'night Garrett."

"Night Alice!"

I ran up the cobbled steps to the front door and let myself in, giving another wave to Garrett before I shut and locked the door behind me.

It was pitch black inside, as the Hale parents were out of town for the week on their third or fourth honeymoon, but I could hear sound, like a muffled TV.

"Jasper?" I called. I followed the sound to the Hale's finished basement. I loved that place. It had a convenient bar, a pool table, a big screen TV, and the biggest plush, comfy couch in all earth's existence.

It was dark downstairs, but I could see the flicker of the TV, lighting my way. Jasper was sprawled on the couch, four empty beer bottles on the coffee table in front of him, and one more nearly finished in his hand. The TV had on some crazy action movie where things were exploding and people were screaming and running, but Jasper barely flinched. In fact, the volume was on so low, it was hard to believe he could have heard it at all.

"Jasper?" I was truly afraid. Jasper did not drink alone, and even if he did, it was one when he was reading a book or something. And why was did he currently look like a zombie?

"Alice?" He sounded confused. "Why are you here?"

"Rose asked me to come see you. She said you were upset."

"You could say that," he said sarcastically. "How was your date?" He spat out the word like it was dirty.

"It was fine. Garrett's a good guy, but we've decided to just be friends."

"Good," Jasper said, startling me.

"So what's wrong?" I sat on the couch next to him and rubbed his knee. My hand felt like it was on fire at every place we were in contact, even though I knew it was wrong to think about it when he was so clearly upset about something.

He set down his beer and gestured for me. Obediently I snuggled into his arms, my head resting just in the crook of his shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and settled into the torture that was being held in his arms. It would never be enough. I knew what Rose had said, about putting space between us so he wouldn't look at me as his little sister, but damn it, he needed me, and right now I needed him right back.

Besides, he smelled amazing. I burrowed my face in the fabric of his shirt and just inhaled.

Who the fuck needs drugs when you had Jasper?

His hands drifted from my waist to my hair, playing with the strands just as I'd imagined. He ran his fingers through the short locks, and I almost wanted to purr with contentment.

"So different," he mused. It didn't sound like that was a bad thing to him, though.

"Jasper, honey, what's wrong?" I'd used that term of endearment for him for years, and he often returned the favor, although his Texan accent made it sound much nicer to my ears. We'd all lost our Southern twangs years ago, but there were moments when we all had the knack of drawling out our words.

"Maria," he said simply, and a shot of pain went through my heart, partly for him, and partly for me, because in the end, I'm an essentially selfish person, no getting around it.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," he mumbled into my hair. He pulled me closer and nuzzled my neck, sending arrows of pleasure up and down my body, and settling the pit of my stomach. He didn't use his lips, but my entire body was on fire from the contact. "You're so good to me, Alice," he said, almost as if he were telling himself more than me.

"Oh, Jasper," I sighed, unable to help myself. My arms tightened around his neck and waist, making it so I was nearly sitting on his lap. I was really getting worked up, and this was hardly any new contact. I was practically panting, my body craving more and more contact. His face remained buried in my neck, and his hot breath sent further tingles up and down my spine. How did he _do _that? It's incredible, the way my body reacts to him.

He placed one tiny kiss at the base of my throat, sending me spiraling down into the point of no return as far as loving him goes, and then pulled back. He looked so tortured, like everything was pulling him apart at the seams. I wanted to help him, but I had no idea what to do.

"Will you please stay with me?" he asked, his eyes pleading. Whatever had happened between him and Maria couldn't have been good. I'd never seen Jasper like this, not ever.

"Of course," I said, because I'm a masochist like that. He leaned back, and I laid in his arms, horrendously tortured by the whole thing. The words "so close, and yet so far" came to mind easily. We turned up the volume and watched the movie while he rubbed circles across my back and shoulders. I was becoming turned on with every brush of his fingers. Then again, any touch by Jasper turned me on, no matter what circumstance.

Eventually, he fell asleep, our fingers entwined, and I sighed as I stared at them. His hand was giant compared with mine, and yet somehow they fit. I kissed the back of his hand before wrapping my other hand around his and joining him in sleep.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks again to my readers and reviewer!!! I love you guys, you're awesome. Keep the reviews coming, I love 'em. ;-) Thanks to LittleLea05 for being my groovy beta. :-D**

**Disclaimer: It's not mine, not a thing, except for plot, that is.**

The next morning, I awoke to find that I was warm. That in and of itself wasn't unusual, but the source of the heat most certainly was. My arms were curled around something, and more importantly, whatever it was was curling it's appendages around me, too.

My eyes fluttered open, and my heart nearly stopped. Jasper was curled into me, his face buried in my neck, holding onto me for dear life. We were virtually entwined, even our legs laced together tightly. I wondered when he'd moved. My mind raced when I realized to become horizontal like this, he would have had to wake up to some degree, and he hadn't snuck up to his room. I also realized that he'd covered us both with an afghan. He _wanted _to stay.

My pulse was hammering like crazy. I wasn't sure what to do. Go back to sleep, and let him discover us like this? Maybe it was a good idea, then he could imagine waking up next to me like this every morning for the rest of our lives. Or maybe I should go? The last thing I wanted was for him to think this was a horrible mistake, or worse, some form of cheating on Maria, and then he wouldn't touch me again with a ten foot pole. I bit my lip. What was I going to do?

I didn't have to make up my mind, Jasper did that for me. He began to stir, subconsciously holding me tighter. He groaned, and the sound went straight to my vagina. Oh God. It was so deep and throaty, and it heightened my libido like no other. And then… he shifted and I felt _it. _

Oh. OH. He was hard, and it was trapped against my waist, and all I wanted to do was… rub myself all over him, or something equally obscene. I was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place, fighting my body from what it most desired. I shut my eyes and bit my lip, trying to hold back the moan that threatened to spill out.

He felt good, and huge to boot. I couldn't stop the wetness from seeping between my thighs. I wanted him so bad it hurt. And what ached even more, I wanted him to want me back. _That _was my truest desire.

Jasper was holding on to me so tight I half-expected it to hurt soon. One of his hands slid up my back, and the other slid dangerously low on my hips. Godddddd, I was in paradise. I decided to stop thinking and just let it happen. Who knew if this was going to be the only time I was in his arms?

I opened my eyes at nearly the same time as he did. His blue eyes fluttered open, and I'd never seen them so close to mine before. They were intense, and darker around the edges than in the center. They were focused right on me, and to my shock and amazement, he didn't pull back, nor did he jump away in surprise and regret. He looked at me as if we woke up this way every day.

"Morning," he whispered, and I didn't even care that he had horrendous morning breath from the beer.

"G'morning," I breathed. I was having a hard time controlling my body, or my thoughts. Why wasn't he flinching? Why hadn't he pulled away? Why was he still so hard against me, making me wild with need?

"Mmm, you're really warm," he said. "Thanks for staying with me."

"No problem," I said, now breathless. His hair was falling into his eyes, and it took everything in me not to brush it away. "Are you okay now?"

"For sure," he grinned, and pulled his body away from mine, stretching. I instantly felt cold and empty.

"So… do you want to talk about it?" I just had to know what had happened, what had lead to this most glorious morning, hands down the best moments of my life.

"We had a fight," he said, sitting up and shrugging. I sat up with him, and realized my shirt had ridden down far so that my nearly non-existent cleavage was on display. I pulled it up without thinking, and then mentally kicked myself.

"Was it bad?" I hated to pry, I just had to know.

"You could say that," he said. "I think she's cheating on me," he said after a long pause. He ran a hand through his wavy hair, and my heart did this bizarre skidding and thumping thing. I couldn't even fathom cheating on Jasper. He was, well, _Jasper. _If I hadn't already hated Maria, I'd really hate her now.

"Why do you think that?" I said, trying not to push him. I wound my arm around his shoulder and leaned on him, relishing the contact. I felt whole again.

"Well, she pretty much admitted to seeing this guy in her hometown. Some jerkoff named Caius. _Caius. _What the hell kind of name is _that?_"

"She's an idiot. Worse than an idiot."

He reached up and squeezed my hand that was wrapped around his shoulder. "Thanks, sweetheart."

He'd never called me that before. I was pretty sure that normally he would have said "little sis" instead.

I was going to say something, but then his stomach rumbled, effectively breaking our intense and meaningful (well, for me, meaningful) silence. We both laughed.

"Come on, let's get some breakfast," he said, and then shocked the hell out of me by pulling me up by my hand, and then keeping it held in his. _Whoa. _What the _fuck _was going on? Not that I was complaining. Hardly. I just couldn't believe how touchy-feely he was being. We were used to contact, and lots of it, that was hardly new, but we'd never once fallen asleep together, and we sure as hell had never held hands. Well, not since I was seven.

"_Jasper, we've gone too far!" I whined. We were deep in the forest, and it was getting dark. Jasper had dragged me into the woods with him, trying to find "bears, or deer, or something cool like that." _

"_We're fine," he insisted, pulling back a huge fern with his tiny arm. "C'mon," he encouraged, and I ran in front of him on the trail, wanting nothing more than to be back at home, curled up in my pink princess bed._

"_Jazzy, it's getting dark," I complained. "And it's gonna rain." The clouds above us were black with rain and the setting sun. _

_He took a deep sigh. "You're such a baby, Alice. It's fine. We haven't seen anything cool yet, we have to keep going."_

_I gritted my teeth and followed. Jasper was always determined to find something cool, to be the leader of our group. Rain started to fall from the sky, but this didn't deter him. If anything, it spurred him on, until we were both practically running through the forest. _

"_Jazzy, please wait!" I called. My lungs started to burn, and the muscles in my legs pumped extra hard to keep up with him. His legs were much longer than mine._

_Suddenly, a crashing sound came from our left, and I screamed as loud as my exhausted lungs would let me. My heart pounded and a surge of adrenaline went through me. _

"_JASPER!" I screamed, just as he shouted "ALICE!"_

_He had turned and ran, and he crashed into me, pushing us both down to the ground. We were a tangle of limbs, both desperate to get up and away from the imminent threat. _

"_C'mon!" he shouted, and he grabbed my hand as we flew through the trees. Our palms were sweaty and muddy, but I held on tight as we raced through the ferns, not really bothering to hold them back. We were panting hard, running for our lives, and I had the intense urge to cough. _

_We broke through the forest's edge, safe in my backyard. We broke our grip on each other, and collapsed onto my back porch, clutching the stitches on our sides. _

"_What… was that??" Jasper panted. _

"_I dunno, something big," I said, still trying to catch my breath. My heart was still pounding in my chest. "Thanks for saving me," I added with a whisper. Jasper grabbed my hand again._

"_Hey, always," he said._

We walked into the kitchen, and I was smiling like a moron, both at the memory, and at the night and morning we'd just had. He was still holding my hand, our fingers laced together. It felt so intimate. I was still holding onto him for dear life, he just didn't realize it. I needed him now just as much as I had as we were running from what we now recognized was a deer in the woods.

The kitchen was empty, which surprised me until I took a look at the clock on the microwave. 6:09 am. Damn, I couldn't think of the last time I'd been awake at this time of day. But if it meant spending time alone with Jasper, I'd wake up this early every day for the rest of my life. Seriously.

I was sorely disappointed when he pulled his hand from mine.

"Whatcha want?" he asked, rooting around the fridge. "Eggs? Toast? Bacon?"

"Mmm, sure," I said. "But only if you're making it." I winked at him.

"But of course. I always make a lady breakfast after I sleep with her," he said with a huge grin. I blushed, and I wasn't sure what to think about that. My head was swimming with unanswered questions.

"What a gentleman," I said, and I tried to sound lighthearted.

"I always try to be a gentleman, ma'am," he drawled, pulling a bowl out of the cupboard. I sat on the stool at the kitchen's island, and simply tried to process what was going on. First, he gets mildly drunk on the suspicion that his girlfriend is cheating on him. Then, I come back and he kisses my throat (something my body is still reacting from, by the way), and we fall asleep on the couch together. Next, we wake up together, and he doesn't freak out or act like he regrets it. He also doesn't try to excuse it all with the fall-back "little sister" crap. He hasn't mentioned those words in several days.

I knew I should have been thrilled about this progress, but instead I was incredibly confused. Still, I couldn't help but admire Jasper in his slept-in clothes. He looked rumpled and disorganized, and it was so different than how he usually looked. I adored it.

He was mostly quiet as he made our breakfast, though he hummed to himself from time to time. I didn't recognize the tune, and he was slightly out of key, but my heart thudded helplessly anyway.

"So what are you up to today?" he asked, grating cheese to melt in the omelets.

"Uh, I'm not sure," I said. "How about you?"

"I was thinking about taking a drive up to the Makah Rez on my bike. I haven't done that hike out to the cape in a long time. I was…" He paused, and looked down. If I hadn't known any better, I'd have said he looked nervous. "I was wondering if you'd like to come with me," he said quietly.

My jaw dropped. Did he just…?

"You don't have to if you don't want, or if you have plans," he clarified.

"No, that'll be fun," I said with an explosive grin. I couldn't believe he wanted to spend time with me! This hadn't happened in a long, long time. Once we'd hit high school, we'd drifted far apart, and I didn't get the Jasper Time I so craved.

"Want to leave in an hour or so?" Long before Rose would even wake up. Would it just be us? On his bike? My heart nearly exploded with excitement.

"Yeah, I'll need to shower and get changed for hiking," I said, gesturing to my date clothes from last night. The change from then to now was staggering.

I wouldn't allow myself to think about Maria, and how this was probably some reaction on his part to get even in some way. I wouldn't allow myself to question why he wanted to spend time with me. I was just going to enjoy this for what it was: the very thing I'd been hoping for and dreaming about for a long, long time. Most of my life, you could say.

Jasper set a plate in front of me, and I broke out of my thoughts. I didn't even realize that he had finished making our breakfast. I was too busy being incredibly giddy.

He sat next to me with his own plate, and we ate in companionable silence. The food was delicious, and I was still vibrating with excitement. I slipped back into my pre-teen and adolescent musings. Alice & Jasper. Alice Hale. Mr. & Mrs. Jasper Hale. Alice + Jasper 4Ever.

"Want to bring some lunch?" he asked. "I could make us some sandwiches or something."

"I thought you hated to cook," I joked. "With the exception of this breakfast, of course. Which is, by the way delicious."

"I don't mind," he said. "I've been getting better. Maria-" He stopped mid-sentence, and I winced. I didn't want to hear anything about her anymore. I just hoped that he'd find out whether or not she was cheating so he could end it, and I wouldn't feel guilty about making my move.

"Anyways…" I said nervously, trying to ease the tension.

"So, sandwiches?"

"Yeah, turkey and cheddar. Don't mess it up," I said, gathering my plate. "I'm going to go get ready, okay? I'll be back in an hour. Don't leave without me!" I gave him a huge grin, which he returned, and I bounded out the back door.

I couldn't help but think about how romantic this all felt. A ride up the coast on a beautiful clear day, on the back of his motorcycle, and a hike to the western-most part of the continental United States, set along the scenic coast line with Vancouver Island along the horizon… I was about to pee myself with excitement. My stomach was tied in knots, and my heart was exploding.

I raced into my house, not caring if I was making any noise or not, because my parents were in London making some sort of deal for their business. I ran into the shower, spending the least amount of time in there than I had ever spent. I made sure I smelled like vanilla everywhere, then stepped out and dried quickly. I perused through my closet, trying to find the perfect outfit for today. Something casual, since we'd be hiking, but also something cute, so that he would be forced to think of me as other-sisterly, just in case he was tempted to slip back into that nonsense.

I found my best jeans, the nicest sneakers (because heels just wouldn't do on the trail), and a snug, red T-shirt that had a low neckline. I hoped that even the modest of cleavage would show in it. I fixed my hair and makeup to its normal state, and added a spritz of perfume behind my ears, grabbed my black leather jacket, and then I was ready. My heart was racing.

I grabbed a few bottles of water and pop out of the fridge, and added them to a canvas bag, along with a bar of chocolate, and then I was sprinting down the street towards the Hales.

Jasper was in the garage, rooting through the plethora of helmets the Hales had. Mr. Hale also had a motorcycle, and he and Mrs. Hale enjoyed going on long trips from time to time. Every Hale had at least three different helmets. Currently, he was holding a white helmet that would engulf my head (and hair), but would also probably keep me safe from nuclear attack, if necessary.

"Think this'll fit?" he asked casually. "I think it's Rose's from when she was younger, so it just might fit your adorable little head."

I bit my lip, blushing slightly, and walked towards him. He was wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans, and I was incredibly aroused at how fit and sexy he looked at that moment. His muscles were just showing through his T-shirt, especially defining his arms. Ungh.

"Yeah, that should be fine," I said. "You ready?"

"Yup, you?"

"Sure thing!" I'm sure my face was the epitome of excitement.

"Let's go then!" he said, giving me that killer smile I melted over every single time. He helped me put on my helmet, getting awfully close in the process, and then he shrugged on his jacket as I hopped on the back. I had never actually been on a motorcycle before in my life, but I wasn't afraid. I trusted Jasper with my heart, soul, and body, and I knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. No matter how he felt about me, I knew he loved me. Whether it was the way I wanted him to love me or not, it was love.

Then came the best part. Just as I'd predicted, he instructed me to wrap my arms around his waist. I did eagerly, and couldn't help but squeal a bit as he pulled away from the driveway.

The first few miles, I was terrified. I held onto Jasper, not because I wanted to, but because I felt it was essential for survival, literally. The first time he took a curve, I was about to pass out with fear.

"Alice, relax!" he shouted, and I could barely hear him over the whipping wind. It was a nice day out, but it was fiercely windy, especially when we were going down the highway at sixty.

Eventually, I did as he prompted, and relaxed, my arms still tight around him, but without the urgency as before. I leaned myself against him, and concentrated on enjoying the road and the way he smelled. The ride was gorgeous, albeit curvy, and I lost myself in the thrill of the moment and the place… and the man.

I was still trying hard not to think about why this was happening, and just let went with the flow. I was with him, finally, truly alone, and I loved it. We wound our way along the water's edge, hugging cliffs and rocky beaches. A bald eagle flew above us as we passed tiny coastal towns and empty vacation homes. Jasper sped competently around corners and through the trees, and soon, we were passing by the welcome signs to the Makah Reservation. We followed the road up to the cape trail.

We pulled into the sparsely populated parking lot. There were people along the trail, but the trail wouldn't be flocking with people, either.

I swung off the back of the motorcycle, and Jasper followed. He helped me tug off my helmet, and I ran my fingers through my hair, grateful for once that the style allowed it to look in disarray, because the helmet hair wasn't doing it for me.

His helmet hair, on the other hand, I could live with. It made him look like he had sex hair, which I enjoyed fantasizing about immensely.

"Ready to go?" he asked, holding out his hand again.

"Yes sir!" I said, taking his hand in mine.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks once again to all who reviewed. I love you guys!!! Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for beta-ing, and to EmmaleeWrites05 for her seal of approval. This chapter might seem a bit chaotic, but there's method behind my madness. :-) I actually went on this trail about a month ago, which is why it's so detailed!!! :-) **

**Disclaimer: It's not mine. Darn.**

Jasper tugged my hand, and I followed him willingly down the pathway leading down through the forest towards the ocean cliffs.

"It's so quiet here," I admired, though the silence was quickly pierced by a family full of kids and a pair of hassled parents.

We both laughed. "You were saying?" Jasper teased.

We went deeper into through the trees, following the marked trail. A lot of people might think that I would hate nature simply for the fact that I liked to look presentable at all times, but it was actually the opposite. The tall, ancient trees soothed me, and I loved looking at all of the surrounding green. You could hear the crashing of the waves in the distance.

Jasper's hand was warm in mine, and he never relented his grip. I wondered briefly how the other hikers saw us. Would they think that we were a couple? My heart glowed thinking about it, even if I knew it was false.

We were quiet for awhile, walking down, down, down the path. It would be a bitch walking back up. We passed other people, and said our pleasantries, asking how the rest of the trail was, and wishing them a good day, and then we'd slip back into silence. It didn't feel awkward in the least. It felt incredibly right, just being there with him, our hands entwined like they were meant to be like that.

"I'm going to end it with Maria," he finally said, and I nearly died tripping over an unexpected root. He reached out to grab me before I fell. Now both of his arms were around me, and we were standing in the middle of a nearly empty forest, simply looking into each other's eyes. I couldn't breathe.

"Really?" I finally gasped, realizing my voice was far too breathy, far too high to sound casual and disinterested.

"Yeah. I mean… we've been fighting for a long time now. It was bad even before the summer started. And now that she's messing around with this Caius guy… It's too much. It's not working, and I'm not sure I want to work on it anymore. She's not The One."

"Are you… looking… for The One?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I really am."

Well fuck me sideways, this could be either really good, or terribly bad for me.

Jasper took my hand again, and we continued down the trail, my head swimming with thoughts. I wondered why he'd chosen that moment to tell me, what the look we'd exchanged meant, and just who could be "The One" for him… if it could ever be me.

"So are _you_ looking for The One?" he asked out of the silence.

"Uh… sort of…" I said. This was territory I didn't want to delve into just yet. Sure, I wanted him to push me up against a tree and proclaim his love for me over and over again, but obviously that was an impossibility, and neither of us was prepared for it.

"Sort of?"

"Oh look, a deer!" I said pathetically, desperate for him to change the subject. There actually was a deer, so I didn't look like a total idiot, and the subject was dropped, much to my relief. What I really wanted to say was _"Yes Jasper, in fact, I've already found him… You! Why don't we end this torture and get married, have lots of sex and babies, and live happily ever after!"_

Yeah, like that would ever happen.

The hill was getting steeper, and I recognized that it would be a bitch walking back up. Maybe Jasper would hold my hand all the way up, too. I liked that idea very much.

We passed several wooden decks, built onto the sides of cliffs to offer stunning views of the churning ocean below. The sky was dazzling blue for once, though the infamous wind was howling, and the seagulls and cormorants screamed from all directions. Beds of kelp floated on the top of foamy waves, and the sea walls exposed orange and purple sea stars clinging on the rough rocks. It was amazingly beautiful.

"It's peaceful here, don't you think?" Jasper asked, leaning on the wooden railings next to me.

"In its own way," I agreed. The waves were violent, but its sounds were unending and soothing.

"Alice, thank you," he said.

"For what?" I turned to look at him. His hair was blowing into his eyes again, that one characteristic he'd taken with him since childhood, the one very near constant in my life.

"For letting me be me. Not pushing, not trying to change me. You have no idea how refreshing it is. You just let me be me. And I just wanted to thank you for that."

"You're welcome," I said, surprised and flustered. "I'd never have you any other way, Jasper. Really. You're pretty good just the way you are." I winked and nudged him, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"Same, Ali baby, same." He gave me his heart palpitation-inducing smile, and tugged my hand. We weren't quite to the end just yet.

The end of the trail to Cape Flattery is a sort of deck on the side of the cliff, and you have to climb it like a bunk bed or a tree house. I went first, and couldn't help but think about the view Jasper was having of my ass. I hoped he was enjoying it, or at least noticing it.

He joined me, and we stared at the open ocean and the island with a lighthouse on top.

"See any whales?" I asked, curiously scanning for puffs of air and water jetting into the sky.

"Not at the moment," he said, also looking out. He sighed, and it was a content sound, I thought. I hoped that meant that he was content to be with me. I guessed, rather hopefully, that he was. I sure as hell was.

"I like the ocean," he said.

"No you don't!" I said, shocked at his statement. I was remembering all those times we'd gone on his grandfather's boat and he'd spent the entire time bent over in the fetal position, alternating between rocking back and forth, and puking.

"Well, not being on it," he clarified. "But standing here… yeah, it's nice. Powerful, endless, and yet somehow soothing."

He wrapped his arm around me, and I wondered briefly if he was on drugs. Not that I was complaining… it was just so out of character for him to be behaving this way, especially to me. Had my haircut really affected him that much? I hardly thought so. Something else had to be up.

As if he could sense what I was feeling, the doubt and confusion, though probably unfortunately not the love, need, and lust, Jasper pulled away and turned me to look into his eyes. I was immensely glad no one else was around us at the moment. I liked being alone with Jasper, and I had a feeling he was going to say something important.

"I know I'm acting weird," he said. "You probably think I'm going nuts or on some sort of illegal substance, and I swear, I'm not. You know me." He gave me a huge grin. "It's just… Alice, I don't know what's going on with me anymore. It's so damned confusing!"

He started to pace. Whoa.

"I don't know what to think anymore!" he said, running his hand through his hair. "I come home, and I'm looking for work, right? I spend all this time, trying to do the right thing because if I get this job, and this experience, and this recommendation, and this, that and the other thing, apparently all of these doors are going to open for me. And then I realize, in some bizarre fucking revelation, that it isn't what I want to do! I don't want to go to law school next year. I don't! I realized I was trying to live out someone else's dream… my dad's or whoever's… but not mine."

He was pacing like a lion now, slow and steady, clearly lost in his thoughts. If I had wondered what people thought of us walking hand in hand in the forest, I wondered now what they'd think if they saw Jasper looking like he was about to stalk his prey.

"And then, you know, this whole Maria mess falls into my lap. It's not like we'd been perfect before, but it just feels like it's falling apart all of a sudden, without much warning. It's like something bigger than me, bigger than us, has decided 'Nope, this is it', and it's just ending. And the thing is, I don't care. I don't! I think I loved her, but I realized that it's past tense. Loved."

I was watching him with wide eyes, unable to believe that he was opening up like this to me. Jasper was a private person, preferring to hold it in long before he'd ever admit anything. And he chose me, _me, _to open up.

"She doesn't need me, and fuck, I don't need her either. And it's so strange, it's like I came home a few weeks ago, and everything has changed, and the thing is, I'm fine with it. And then there's you."

My heart stopped. "M-me?" I stuttered.

He stopped pacing, and he walked towards me. He took my hands in his, my eyes wider still, my heart in my throat. His hands warmed mine, and he stroked them as he never had before.

"Yeah. There's something… Alice, you're the only one who makes it make sense. I can't explain it. I don't understand why. But you make it better. I can be me with you, not what everyone expects me to be."

"You can?" I quirked my head to the side without thinking about it. My head was swimming.

"Alice, I always have been, and you know it. I can't explain why, but I need you somehow. I don't want to use you… but dammit, Alice, I need you!"

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Say what now? "Huh?!" I said weakly. I probably looked as dumbfounded as I sounded.

"I'm sorry, I'm acting crazy. It's been a long time since we were close. But you understand me somehow, more than anyone else ever has. You calm me down somehow, even when I don't think I need calming. And… I'd like for us to be close again. I guess I was just… Never mind."

"No, it's fine!" I said quickly. I took his head in my hands and stroked his cheeks. "It's okay that you need me. I need you, too."

"You do?" God, we both sounded like confused kindergartners.

"More than you know," I said softly.

"Come here," he said, and I found myself lost in his arms. He wrapped his arms tight around my waist, and I did the same to him. We stood there for a long time, and I tried to relax in his embrace, but I was finding it extremely difficult. What the FUCK was going on?! I could understand he was going through some life changing events, and that things were going crazy on him, but I couldn't fathom the idea that he somehow _needed me. _Me! And that word, need. What did he mean by it? God, I wished I weren't one of those over-analyzing people that over thought every single thing.

"So, we're friends?" He pulled away from the hug, and not for the first time today, I was sad at the loss of contact.

"When weren't we?" I asked, rolling my eyes, though the word still ached. "Friend" was better than "little sister," but not by much. At least you could love your friend without being incestuous. Damn, this was complicated.

"Good point," he said with a grin, clearly cleansed of the problems he had been surrounded with. He held his emotions in too deep, and then suddenly he'd just explode with them. I'd seen it before, though not to this extent, and never concerning me.

"Let's go," I said, this time being the one to tug his hand. I needed contact. Today was all about contact, and I wasn't about to give it up. If this was the only day in life I could hold his hand, hug him freely, touch him at will, then I would enjoy it as much as possible, no matter how much it would torture me someday.

We walked back up the trail slowly, first due to the steep slope and countless stairs, and second to the fact that we were just enjoying each other. Jasper started up his humming again, and I laughed at how out of tune he really was. I loved him for it. I loved him, period.

"So what do you want to do then?" I asked, suddenly remembering that he didn't want to go to law school, the very thing he'd been planning on doing since we were in middle school. I wondered who had planted that idea in his head pressured him to continue on with it.

"I'm not sure yet," he said. "I've thought about a lot of things. History, psychology… but I don't think my parents would like it very much if I were a teacher."

I frowned. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "Whenever I suggest it, they bring up law again. And nothing's wrong with law, I just don't think that's what I'm meant to do in my life."

"Then don't," I said simply. "My parents wanted to kill me when I told them I was going to be an art major, and I still think they're pissed at me, but I couldn't really care less. It makes me happy, and I like being happy. Plain and simple."

He smiled at me. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's a lot easier than I'm making it. You know how I've always been so complicated with my feelings… which is probably why psychology suits me so much."

"Yeah, makes sense," I said. "You're suited for a lot of things, Jasper. You're so smart."

"Thanks," he said modestly. We continued up the path, and we were silent for awhile.

"So what about this Garrett guy?" he asked abruptly, breaking my thoughts.

"Uh… what about him?" I asked blankly. Did I want to play this game now?

"You seemed like you liked him, but then I think you said you decided not to date him?" I tried not to get excited over his jealous tone.

"Garrett's a good guy, and I'm not going to stop hanging out with him, if that's what you mean," I said, and I swore to God, Jasper growled under his breath. I wanted to question him, but I figured it'd probably be better in the long run for him to stew about it for awhile. In any case, he still had Maria, whether their future was bright or not, and I had rather liked Garrett's idea of making Jasper insanely jealous with kisses. Not that I wanted to kiss Garrett… but if he were willing to give Jasper a little bit of a show, maybe we could banish his "little sister" thoughts away forever.

We were silent the rest of the way back, and a lot of it had to do with the physical exertion of the hill we were currently climbing back up. The trail to the cape was steep on the way back. We never let go of our entwined hands the entire way up.

We finally reached the top, and we mounted Jasper's bike. After a few revs of the engine, we were off again. It was probably noon, and I was getting hungry.

"Should we stop and eat our lunches someplace?" I yelled into his ear.

"Sure," he shouted back. The wind made it difficult to communicate. We wound our way back along the curvy, windy roads, and stopped at a wayside a few miles away. It had a beautiful view of the cliffs and the beaches down below, and endless, unbroken strands of trees. It was lovely.

We ate our sandwiches while pointing out various things to each other. Some of the giant rocks offshore looked like a dog's head to Jasper, and I kept pointing out bald eagles and seagulls, as if we'd never seen one before in our lives. We rarely stopped laughing. It was amazing, just being with him like this. It felt wonderful, being connected with him again. College had pulled us apart, I in Seattle and he in Portland, and our last few summers back home, we hadn't reconnected the way that we had in years past.

That was going to change.

We hopped back on the bike, and headed back towards Forks. The day had been so amazing, and it was only half over. I didn't want to leave Jasper. I wasn't ready for that. And I knew that once we got home, I'd have to face the wrath of Rosalie. She was not going to be happy with me. This wasn't exactly going to help her "Get over Jasper Plan." Nope, it was going to be much, much worse now.

I hugged him tightly as we followed the snaking road and much too soon, we were back within the Forks city limits. We pulled up into his driveway, and dismounted. And, just as predicted, Rosalie stormed out of house. Busted.

"Hey, Rosie!" Jasper said, mood considerably lifted. I was amazed to know that I was the reason for it.

"Well, hello_, Jasper_," she said, entirely too sugary sweet for anyone's liking. "Where have you been, twin?"

"Ali and I went up to Cape Flattery, took a hike, had some lunch," he said, as if that wasn't going to piss off Rosalie in some way. Well, he had no way of knowing he was sealing my coffin.

"Did you now?" Her voice was way too interested, and way too bright. She was getting more and more high pitched, and I was pretty sure only dogs would be able to hear her soon.

"Yeah," I said quietly, not looking at her directly.

"Did you have _fun?"_ She crossed her arms and tried to catch my eye contact.

"Yeah," Jasper said. "It was nice catching up with my little baby- Alice. Catching up with Alice." Rosalie's jaw dropped. I guess she had noticed his last minute language check, too.

"Well, Jasper, I'm glad to see you're in a better mood. Alice, I gotta talk to you," and before I could say or do anything, she was pulling on my arm so hard I thought she was going to rip it from its socket.

"Ow! Rose, I'm coming, geez!" I protested, and shot an apologetic look at Jasper. He smiled and waved goodbye to me. Just as abruptly as it started, my day with Jasper was ending, and I felt hollow.

We were in her bedroom before Rosalie spoke again. She slammed the door behind us and then turned on me, eyes flashing with anger.

"What in the HELL do you think you were doing?!"

"Going for a hike…" I said, but I knew full well that wasn't going to fly with her.

"You were trying to get him! Seduce him! Corner him! Get him alone at any cost! And don't pretend like you don't know I know you stayed the night here. On the couch. In his arms! God, Alice, what are you THINKING? He has a girlfriend! And you're supposed to be getting over him, not falling asleep next to him. You know how hard it's going to be when that's gone? And you know I'm going to have to pick up the goddamned pieces…"

Damn, the Hale twins had a lot to say today.

"It's not like that… entirely," I added when she was about to protest. "He asked me to come with him. He asked me to stay. YOU asked me to come check on him, for crying out loud! Don't pin this all on me! And by the way, I'm not the kind of girl that sits around and premeditates these things. I'm not trying to "seduce"Jasper. If I'd wanted to, I would have years ago. It's not about seduction, it's about love."

She looked sheepish at that. "You're right, I did ask you to come, but that's because he sounded practically suicidal last night! I had to make sure he was okay, he's my twin, and I wasn't exactly in a position to leave…"

"Oh, so you'd rather have Emmett between your legs than worry about your brother? If he was really as "suicidal" as you say, wouldn't you have taken the time to break away from all the fucking to help him instead of calling your best friend to do it for you, if you really cared?" I said, anger flaring through me. I immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry, Rose, I didn't mean-"

"Get out," she said quietly. Shit, worse than a belligerent Rose was a quiet, wrathful Rose, and I think I may have stirred the beast from its cage. "I mean it, Alice, leave before I kick your ass."

"Fine!" I said childishly, knowing it was foolhardy, but I was livid, frustrated, confused, angry, and all these other things I didn't even want to compute at the moment. Rose had some nerve…

I got up and stalked out of the room, slamming it as hard as possible behind me. I gritted my teeth as I bounded down the stairs, and nearly crashed into Jasper.

"Sorry!" I said, but I was in too much of a fury to really comprehend that his arms were around me again, and that was really saying something.

"Wait, wait, wait," he said as I tried to pull away. "Why are you crying?"

I was crying?

"Rose is being a bitch, and I'm afraid I'm going to rip her head off if I stay here much longer," I said honestly.

"Let's go to your house," he said, and guided me out of the Hale's house, down the street, and into my own front door. I was still seething when we got back. If she had really thought he was that depressed… which somehow I doubted, but you never knew… and she hadn't taken the time to help her own twin brother… I was furious.

"Are you okay, Alice?" Jasper asked, studying my face for a long moment. "You look really…" He didn't have to finish his sentence. We both knew I looked like shit; wind burned, tear-stained, irate, and probably a little like a pissed off Chihuahua: tiny but fierce.

"Ugh, I will be," I said. It wasn't the first time Rose and I had gotten into a fight like that, and I daresay it wouldn't be the last. "She just makes me so mad sometimes."

"I know what you mean," he said laughing, and brushed away a few of my tears. "Let's watch a movie or something. And then, guess what?"

"What?" He looked excited about something.

"After she gets off work, I'm going to call Maria and tell her it's over."

I was elated, my mood shifting quickly from one extreme to another in milliseconds. "Over the phone?" I asked, trying not to sound too excited. "Isn't that kind of mean?"

He shrugged. "She should have thought of that before."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" I said. Things were looking up.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks SO much to everyone who has read and reviewed. I'm so glad you're enjoying it, and putting up with Jasper's antics. :-) Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being my beta (she knows how awesome she is). Imaginary confetti gets thrown to EmmaleeWrites05 for being the 100th reviewer. ;-) **

**Disclaimer: The plot's mine, but Twilight, Pirates, and anything by Rascal Flatts belong to someone else.**

After we watched a movie, something which I barely processed, Jasper grabbed his cell phone. We had been lying on the couch together, on opposite ends, our feet touching. I didn't care how we touched, just so long as we were in some kind of contact.

I loved how easy it felt, so natural. We were meant to be together this way.

He stared at his phone, and then made a few deft movements, holding the phone to his ear.

"Do you want me to go?" I whispered. I didn't want to invade his personal moment, and besides, I just knew I was going to burst into a happy dance without much provocation, something he didn't probably need to see. He shrugged indifferently, and I danced out of the room. I felt like singing. He was going to end things with her… it was going to be over… I wouldn't feel guilty about trying to catch his attention…

I raced to my bedroom, hands shaky and my heart fluttery. I couldn't sit down, and I couldn't stop moving. I could hear his low, soothing voice over the phone coming up the stairs through my open door. I wanted to bite my nails, but I didn't want to mess up the manicure I'd just had.

I picked up a sketch pad from the nightstand next to my bed, and a piece of charcoal. I had to do something with my hands. I drew the view from the end of the trail, the giant, silent rocks, and the waves that crashed upon them, the lighthouse and the gulls that flew above it.

I flipped over the page and started drawing again, this time, human hands clashed together, one large and masculine, the other tiny and feminine. Jasper and me. I could still hear his voice from downstairs, and it had risen in volume just a bit. I could tell he was getting angry, but trying hard to fight it back. I could almost hear what he meant, when he told me he had to hold back with everyone but me.

The charcoal smudged my fingers as I shaded the fingers, blending the lines to make them less harsh. I would keep it forever, just remembering this day, and how, despite its bizarre twists and turns, and that horrible fight with Rose which I knew I'd have to patch up quickly, was far and away the best day of my life.

A throat cleared, and I startled. Jasper was standing in my doorway, a huge smile on his face.

"Well?" I asked, heart pounding.

"It's done," he said, still grinning as if he'd won the lottery. "She admitted she'd been sleeping with him, and that she thought it was over, too. Thank God." He didn't seem too upset.

"How could she DO that?" I asked incredulously. "I mean, I'd never-" Oh shit.

"Never what?" He looked curious and too damn sexy for his (or my) own good.

"I'd, uh, never… have expected her to do something like that," I stammered. Nice recovery, Alice.

"Oh. Right," he said, and though I probably hallucinated it, he sounded almost disappointed.

"Well, anyways, that's all in the past now, right?" I said cheerfully. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes I am," he said. "More okay than I have been in a long, long time. God, it feels good. I want to celebrate."

I could think of a lot of ways we could celebrate, and almost none of them were things you'd do with your friend. "What did you have in mind?"

He shrugged. "Is there much to do in Forks?"

"Good point."

"We could just stay here. Hang out. We haven't done that in a while."

I wasn't about to point out that that was all we had done for the last eighteen hours or so. I didn't want to remind him of it, and have him leave.

"Sure! What should we do?" _Please, please, please say make out in my bed. It's right there, it's really warm, it's really soft, and you should feel the sheets…_

"Have a beer and play cards?" _So close._

"Okay," I said. "Then maybe later we could go out to the bar?" Maybe he'd at least agree to that.

"Sounds good to me," he said. "Just so long as Garrett doesn't show up."

"Believe me, he won't." I would text him and tell him to stay well away from the bar if he ever wanted Kate's number. I'd shown him a picture, and I knew he wouldn't be risking not getting to know her. God, I wanted to know exactly why he was opposed to Garrett. I just wanted to hear the words…

"What are you drawing?" he asked, tilting his head so he could see it more clearly. I flushed.

"Well, I drew this from memory," I said, holding out the finished depiction of Cape Flattery. I'd have to Aqua Net the crap out of it later.

"Wow," Jasper said, looking impressed. He hadn't really seen much of my work before. A lot of what I created was personal, and I had huge boxes full of sketches and drawings I'd made over the years. I'd die if he knew a lot of them were of him, starting when I was ten and discovered I loved to draw, and just who my favorite subject was. "You drew this from memory?"

"Yeah, I have a pretty good photographic memory," I said, shrugging. "A lot of my sketches and paintings come from memory, or the feeling that I had when I was there. Sometimes, I can even imagine the future, clear as a memory, and I paint that, too." He knew I had the uncanny ability to predict things. Perhaps that's why I'd never given up on him. I knew that he was my past, present, and future as sure as I knew my own name.

"Well, this is amazing, Alice," he said, setting the paper gingerly down where I'd left it.

"And what's this?" He turned his focus back on the drawing of the joined hands. "Wow, look at the detail."

"It's not done yet," I said nervously. I prayed he wouldn't notice I'd included the scar on the back of his hand, something he'd received when he'd crashed his motorcycle the first time, back when we were teenagers. It was tiny, and not very dark, but it was crescent shaped, and I thought it was beautiful in its own bizarre way.

"It's still good," he said, and smiled. If he noticed, he didn't say anything, and I relaxed. I'd spent most of my life hiding my love for him. It was going to take a lot of time to realize that I didn't necessarily have to hide from it anymore. It wasn't like I could walk around spouting sonnets and confessing my love at any moment, but I supposed that hints and clues to my true feelings wasn't a bad thing anymore. I wanted him to know how deeply I loved him, how I dream of him at night and silently pray that he will love me, too.

Yeah, it was completely pathetic, but it was the truth, and hey, doesn't everyone think people in love are pathetic until they've taken the plunge, too?

"Thanks, Jasper," I said, smiling up at him.

"I had no idea you were this good," he said, but it almost sounded like he was talking to himself. "Sometimes I think I take you for granted, Alice. Like I don't know you as well as I should, as I want to."

He wants to know me?! God, I really hope he means in the Biblical, as well as the literal, sense. I smiled at him again. "There are lots of things you don't know, Jasper."

"Well we'll have to change that, won't we?" he said, grinning back. Yes please!

* * * * * * * * * * *

The next few weeks flew by without me speaking a single word to Rose. She'd somehow managed to avoid me for twenty-two days, which was a record for us by about twenty-one days. I missed her, there was no doubt about that. I knew that she was angry at me for accusing her of putting her own needs before Jasper's, but I wasn't going to relent on the accusation. No, Jasper wasn't on the brink of anything, least of all suicide like she'd implied, but she still hadn't put his needs before her own, and that was wrong. They were family, and twins, and I knew that their bond was stronger than that, more than that.

On the other hand, the time I spent with Jasper was increasing as time went on. That initial night had lead to us spending every night together ever since or at least all day and evening. We hadn't fallen asleep together, or held each other like that first night, much to my disappointment, but we became virtually inseparable. We spent a lot of time at my house, or going places on his bike. We'd gone on a few more hikes, though with less handholding, and sometimes we'd just wander around town together. He wasn't looking for a job anymore, and I was simply enjoying every single moment we had together.

We "rediscovered" each other in a sense. We'd reminisce, and then fill each other in on our lives over the last few years since going to college.

I'd fallen in love with him as a child, and he'd always maintained a near-mythical status in my head. I had him so high on a pedestal that I had to crane my neck up to see him, but spending real time with him as an adult had an entirely different effect. I fell in love with him all over again, but not because he was strong, or brave, or saved me from the killer deer, or because his hair fell into his eyes, but because he was smart, and caring, and funny, and had passion in life.

And, I'm not gonna lie, he still had the sexiest body of all time, and that was my completely unbiased opinion. Unbiased. Riiight.

I still pictured us being together and getting married someday, but not because he was a knight in shining armor, but because I could see us as a team, as partners, with common goals and a stick-with-it attitude. I could see him as the father of my children, but not only because they'd have beautiful blue eyes, but because he'd be a real father, providing for them, caring for them, reading them stories at bed time.

God, I was sunk. We had never been so close, and I had never loved him more in my life. It was becoming real for the first time ever.

My parents were gone out of town again. Sometimes I wondered why they ever bothered to have a permanent home. I think it was because of me, wanting to give me a semblance of home, pretending like they had a place to go back to when they were done with their business. I knew they loved me, and now that I was older, I didn't mind their absence as much, but it was still rather sad that I knew and loved Mr. and Mrs. Hale as much as, or more than, my own parents. I certainly spent more time with them.

Jasper pulled out a box of pasta out of the cupboard, along with a jar of tomato sauce. "Want spaghetti tonight?" he asked. I loved that we cooked together now… breakfast, lunch, dinner, midday snack, dessert… _Oh, dessert. _Last night had been torture. He'd made this chocolate mousse thing, and all I could think about was smearing it all over his body and licking it off.

"Mmm, sounds good! I'll make the salad and garlic bread!" I said, hopping up from the kitchen stool. "And maybe brownies for dessert…" I could just see him now, chewing slowly on the brownies, getting a bit in the corner of his mouth, and maybe licking it off, or maybe he'd let me lick…

"And let's have a little music," he said, flipping on a random radio station. Country, yes. Though we'd lived in the Pacific Northwest most of our lives, the South had never left us, and Jasper and I both adored our country music. The end of one song ended, and another slower one began. My heart skipped a beat.

"_I set out on narrow way, many years ago_," Jasper sang in his wonderfully off-key voice.

"_Hoping I would find true love along the broken road," _I sang along. God, this song held so much meaning to me. I had always imagined it would be our anthem someday. We sang together as he stirred the pasta and I chopped the vegetables. It all felt so incredibly domestic somehow, and I hoped this event would repeat again and again over many years, until we grew too old and someone had to feed us dinner instead.

"_God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you," _Jasper warbled the final notes, and my heart thudded out of my chest. Our paths had been running parallel to each other for so long, close, but never touching, but now the lines were intersecting, and I felt as if it were only a matter of time before they finally connected. Would we be on the same path, going in the same direction soon?

"Well," Jasper said, nonchalant, "I think the spaghetti's done." He fished out a strand with a fork, and blew on it. "Here, you try." He held out the fork towards me, looking like he was going to feed me instead of handing it to me.

"Uh… 'kay," I said, and parted my lips. I wished it could have been sexy, but it really wasn't. The noodle slipped from the fork tines and slapped me wetly against my cheek.

"Oops, sorry!" he said, laughing, and I grabbed it off my face and popped it in my mouth. It was still a bit crunchy. "A minute or two more," I said. He was still laughing, and I playfully punched him in the arm. He tested it himself the next time, and then we were spreading out on my large, though less comfy, couch in the living room, flipping through the TV channels with our plates in our laps. If anyone else had been there, I would have set up a fancy setting in the dining room, and we'd have nice plates and my feet would not have been propped up on the coffee table in front of me, but Jasper made me forget all about those pretenses.

We finally settled on _Pirates of the Caribbean _(the first, because the other two are crap), and ate in silence.

"Elizabeth Swan is hot," Jasper said.

"Yeah, well, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom aren't so bad themselves," I retorted.

"You actually like Johnny Depp? Like, he's a great actor, but you have a crush on him?"

"Hell yes! You kinda look like him sometimes, you know? When you wear your dorky little glasses…"

"Don't be making fun of my glasses," he said, pushing them up his nose pointedly. I loved his little black framed glasses. He looked so smart and so incredibly sexy wearing them.

"I would never make fun of your glasses," I said innocently. "You look sexy in them." Bold move, I know. My heart fluttered in anticipation of his response.

"I'm sexy, huh?" He grinned at me.

"Fuck yeah!" I said, and then slapped a hand over my mouth. I hadn't meant to sound so enthusiastic. Then again, enthusiasm and passion were in my genetic makeup.

He just laughed and shook his head. Fuck, he was so beautiful, in a masculine, hard sort of way. And I wished I meant hard in that sense.

We kept watching, putting our plates down on the coffee table and resuming our positions on the opposite ends of the couch. I hated not touching him, but at the same time, I could watch him covertly this way. He was in an army green T-shirt and black shorts, his hair wavy and in his eyes, glasses perched on his nose. He was incredibly serious watching the movie, pointing out random historical errors.

Suddenly, he stretched, and without saying a word, and without even giving me another glance, he turned and lay out on the couch, laying his head on my lap. My eyes widened in shock, and to my humiliation, my hips thrust up without my permission, nearly knocking him out of my lap.

"Sorry!" I said quickly, and was happy to see that he didn't seem fazed.

"S'ok," he said lazily.

My head was swimming with possibilities. He was so close, and I sincerely hoped he wouldn't be able to smell my arousal, because it was going to happen regardless.

I didn't know what to do with my hands. I actually couldn't really think of what I was doing with them before he made his sudden move. Had they been on my lap? Folded? Stretched out? And what should I do with them now?

I took a deep breath, and decided to grow a back bone. He had to see me as something more than a friend or little sister, right? I had to touch him, and not just in the normal, mundane ways I was used to. I wasn't going to rub his nipples or grab his ass or anything, but I had to make my move soon before it became clear that I wasn't going to touch him. If I hesitated too long, it would be awkward later.

I started with the most obvious. I ran my fingers through his hair, starting from the back and ruffling it forward. It felt amazing in my hands, soft and silky, just the way it looked. It felt better than mine, which took me aback for a minute. What in the hell did he shampoo with, and where could I get some?

_Focus, Alice_, I told myself. _You can do this._ I wasn't necessarily practiced in the art of seduction, but I figured I knew a few places I could easily, and not so awkwardly access that might have him purring in just a few short minutes.

I played with his hair for a while, gauging his reaction. He moaned just a little, which I took as a good sign, and continued. Moving infinitesimally south, I ran my fingers down his neck, and marveled when goosebumps appeared there. I ran them up and down the base of his neck, right where skin met cotton, and I watched in fascination as he moved his hips forward just a bit. Not a thrust or anything obvious like that, but just enough to catch my attention. I repeated the move, and so did he. Interesting. With the pretense of massaging his shoulders, I moved both hands to his shoulders. I began rubbing tiny circles in random patterns on his shoulder blades, noting both the tension and the muscle definition through the T-shirt. I couldn't wait to dig my fingernails in here, run my hands down his back as he hovers over me and-

Jasper let out the biggest groan I'd ever heard, and the sound went straight to my lady parts, thanks in part to the fact that he was less than nine inches away from them. I didn't even want to think about how good it would feel if those vibrations were more concentrated in a little closer spot. My brain was fogging with lust.

My hands grew bolder, one traveling down his side to brush against his ribs, and then back up again before massaging his neck again. I noted that he was particularly sensitive around his ears, which I supposed wasn't too unusual, but I filed it away for future use. He liked the spot just under his ear in particular. Just the barest touch with my fingertips had his breath hitching.

"Oh, Alice," he groaned. That's right, baby, say my name…

He turned over onto his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows to look up at me. His eyes were dark, darker than I'd ever seen them before. It sent a shiver up and down my spine. He was staring at me intensely, and it looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't quite find his words. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't have even told you my own name at that point. His dark blue eyes bored into my hazel ones, like we were both trying to read each other's thoughts.

It had never, ever been this intense before. My breathing became shallow, almost like I was panting. I needed him to say something, anything, but the words never came, and we never broke contact.

And then, just because life is a cruel-hearted bitch, there was a knock at the door. My head whipped towards the offending sound, willing it to go away with all of my might. It happened again, and Jasper eased away from me, sitting at the end of the couch without a word.

No, no, no, no, no. I kept repeating this word over and over again in my head as I walked to the door on shaky legs. Touching Jasper had just as much effect on me as if he had touched me. Well, almost.

I threw open the door with what had to be a scowl. There stood Rose and Emmett, his arm thrown over her shoulder, a big grin on his face. Rose's face, however, looked less than pleased to be there.

"Hiya, Ali baby!" Emmett said with an even bigger smile. "Can we come in?"


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks so much to my wonderful reviewers, and my amazing-as-hell beta, LittleLea05. You guys rock my socks!!! :-D I'm sorry Jasper keeps torturing you and Alice, but it's all going to be worth it, I promise!!! Reread the prologue if you need a little lovin'. ;-) **

**It's my 23rd birthday, so please leave me lots and lots of love, OK??!! :-)**

**Disclaimer: Only the plot's mine.**

_I threw open the door with what had to be a scowl. There stood Rose and Emmett, his arm thrown over her shoulder, a big grin on his face. Rose's face, however, looked less than pleased to be there._

"_Hiya, Ali baby!" Emmett said with an even bigger smile. "Can we come in?"_

"Sure, I said stiffly, looking only at Emmett. "How are you?"

"We're good!" he said cheerfully, leading Rose in by her shoulders. "How are you, Ali honey?"

"I'm fine," I said, smiling at him, still seething on the inside at their interruption. Jasper and I were so close…

"Uh, hi Rose," Jasper said awkwardly from the couch.

"Jasper," she said coldly. There was nothing worse than a cold Rosalie. When she got in her bitch mode she was practically made of ice, and it took a long time to thaw her out. I'd seen it in action, but never directed at me personally. It hurt.

"Hi, I'm Emmett," he said, stretching his hand out to Jasper. Jasper stood and accepted the hand shake. "You must be her brother."

"Guilty as charged," Jasper said. I could tell he silently approved of Emmett. Hmm. He approved of Emmett, no problem. So why the hostility to Garrett? "What brings you two by?" He came to stand next to me, and I silently willed his arm to snake around my waist. It didn't happen, but then again, I hadn't really expected it to.

"So what brings you here?" I asked Emmett. If Rose was going to be a frozen solid bitch, I wasn't going to deal with her. I didn't want her to ruin all the good vibes and feelings I'd been having with Jasper.

"We just wanted to stop by and say hello," Emmett said. Rosalie elbowed him in the ribs.

"Well, rather, I did, and Rose was with me so…"

It felt so polarized, Jasper and I on one side, Emmett and Rose on the other. Emmett was trying to be a good guy, and I could see what he was doing here. I was sure that he had heard no end to Rosalie's bitching and whining over the last three weeks, and probably wanted to put a stop to it as soon as possible. A simultaneous selfish and selfless act.

"Can I talk to you?" Rose said suddenly, finally looking at me.

"Um…" I looked at Jasper desperately, and he nodded once. I felt more relaxed looking into his eyes. He gave me strength. "Sure."

I jerked my head towards the kitchen. She followed me silently while the guys tried to make friendly conversation in the living room.

I leaned against the island, crossing my arms. She leaned against the sink.

"So…" she started.

"So," I said.

"Alice, you don't know how hard… What's it like… How much I-" She stopped herself.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out.

"Huh?" I was not expecting that.

"You were right. I was selfish. And it was wrong of me to accuse you of trying to seduce Jasper. I know you're not that kind of person. It's just, I don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't think it's up to you to make that decision for me."

"I know. Alice, I'm so sorry. Emmett helped me to see how I was wrong, and I really and truly apologize." She didn't look at me the entire time, but I could see the tears in her eyes. "I've missed you," she said in a tiny voice.

"I've missed you, too," I said. "I know that the situation wasn't as dire as you said… that Jasper was fine, and I probably overreacted… it's just sometimes you're… well, you're selfish, Rosalie. And sometimes you need to be reminded of that."

"I know," she sobbed. "Alice, you're my best friend, and I love you. I want you to be happy, that's all."

I reached forward and she was falling into my arms, crying. I squeezed her tight and stroked her hair, tears falling down my own cheeks. I really had missed my best friend. Even though I wouldn't trade the last three weeks with Jasper for anything, I figured that I could also have my best friend and my love interest in my life at the same time.

"I'm sorry, too," I whispered. "I shouldn't have said what I did. You didn't deserve that."

"It's okay," she said, sniffling. "I know I'm a bitch."

"Yeah, you are, but I love you anyway," I said, squeezing her before pulling back. She brushed away her tears, and I did the same. "What have you been up to?"

She laughed. "Well, Emmett and I have been spending every spare moment together."

"That's good," I said. "I'm sure you know Jasper and I have been doing the same."

She raised her eyebrows. "Obviously, you haven't been doing QUITE the same as Em and I, cuz otherwise you'd be looking a lot happier."

"Yeah, you're right about that," I said. "But it's progress…"

"Yeah, I heard him and Maria are over…"

I fought the grin that always accompanied those words. "Yep."

"Well… that's good. We'll have to talk about this more later."

"For sure," I said. I took her hand in mine, hugged her once more, and then we strolled back into the living room to our men.

Rose floated across the room, clearly in a better mood, and slid into Emmett's lap on the armchair. I sat on the couch next to Jasper, as close as I dared. I looked at him, and he subconsciously licked his lips when he looked at me. Good sign. I wanted to squeal with excitement.

"How's my girls?" Emmett asked, and Jasper looked at him sharply, but didn't say anything.

"We're good," Rose said, smiling. I smiled back. Jasper visibly relaxed.

"I'm really glad you guys are talking again. It was strange having you guys giving each other the silent treatment." He reached out and grasped my hand with both of his. My eyes widened and my heart gave a thump, and I could see that Rose was just as shocked as me. He didn't let go, and I wasn't about to pull away.

"Wow, I didn't know you guys were together!" Emmett said, and I wanted to commit homicide at that moment.

"Um, we're not," I said before Jasper could answer and break my heart by telling Emmett I was actually their long lost runt triplet or something.

"Oh." Emmett's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, but thankfully, he didn't say another word. And thankfully, neither did Jasper. I just wasn't in the mood to hear him spout off things about friends or little sisters.

"So, do you guys want to do something?" I asked quickly. I realized Jasper was staring at my profile, and I swallowed hard, fighting off the blush that threatened to appear. I licked my lips nervously.

"Well, what were you guys up to before we got here?" Emmett asked innocently.

Jasper and I both started stammering.

"Uh, well, we were watching a movie-"

"Just relaxing here-"

"Not much, you know-"

"Just having some dinner-"

Two pairs of bemused eyes were trained on our faces. Rosalie's eyebrows looked as if they were going to permanently settle on her forehead, and Emmett just looked like he wanted to laugh.

"So… just hanging out then?" Rose clarified. Jasper and I both nodded emphatically. Rose gave me that _We'll talk later _look, and I just smirked.

"Yep! Anyone want a beer?" I asked, playing hostess now. I hated to do it, but I pulled my hand away from Jasper's and stood up. My only consolation was that if I wanted him to see me as something more, I'd have to start making some of the rules myself. If he wanted me, he was going to have to chase me. I'd decided that recently. I was going to make Jasper pursue me.

"Yeah, I'll help you," Rose said, pointing to each guy as they nodded yes. She followed me back into the kitchen. "Oh my GOD," she hissed. "What have you guys been up to? He was watching you leave the room, you know."

"He WAS?!" I whispered back, nearly jumping for joy. "Oh my GOD, Rosalie!"

"Calm down, Alice!" she said, but she looked excited, too. That was a change of heart. I was going to have to ask her about that later.

I pulled a couple of Newcastle's out of the fridge, and popped open the caps with the opener on the edge of the counter. My dad loved his beer, what can I say? I also pulled out a Coors Light for Rose.

"Ugh, how can you drink that crap?" I asked her, wrinkling my nose. Jasper was right. I adored beer now, the _real _kind, not the piss Rose was currently swilling.

"Just shut up," she retorted.

"Nice comeback," I teased. It was wonderful to have my best friend back. I couldn't wait to catch her up on all the details of The Great Alice and Jasper Reconnection of 2009.

We took the beers back into the living room, and resumed our places. Jasper had spread out on the couch, looking very comfortable and extremely fuckable. His arms and legs were spread out wide, and I briefly wondered if he'd ever like to be tied to the bedposts that way. Hmm…

He moved slightly to make room for me and accept his beer, but he also didn't move his arm, making it so that his arm was hovering over my shoulders on the couch. If he just slipped it a few inches, it'd be resting on my body. I'd take any part of Jasper on my body any day, even with company around.

We chatted, catching each other up on the last few weeks. I was absolutely, 100% positive that Rose and I were both cutting out essential elements to our stories, parts we'd inform each other of later, and the guys weren't saying much, either. I'd pry the truth out of Rose, that part was inevitable. Yet somehow I wished Jasper would share more. I was terrified that the last few weeks had just been some sort of pity friendship, and that now that Rose was back in my life, he'd scamper off into his own world.

And yet, he'd said he needed me.

I held on to that scrap of hope like I was drowning and it was my lifesaver.

After a few hours, Emmett and Rose decided they'd best be off. The look in Rosalie's eyes told me they weren't off to play pinochle, and I decided I'd interrogate her about that tomorrow.

"Call me in the morning, alright?" I said as I hugged my best friend once more.

"Of course," she said. "We have a LOT to catch up on."

"Yeah," I said, excited to give her all the details. "G'night!"

To my shock and amazement, Jasper also waved goodbye. He was staying?! I fought off my inner pre-teen squeal. We all said good night, Rose giving me one last pointed look before I shut the door behind them.

"Want help washing the dishes?" he asked helpfully.

"Sure," I said. No need to remind him we had a dishwasher. I'd go 50s style housewife for him any day if it meant spending more time with him. "You wash, I dry."

"Deal," he said. "But only if I get another brownie."

"I suppose that can be arranged," I said.

We didn't have a lot of plates and pots, so it didn't take long for us to get the kitchen tidy again. Jasper kept humming, and I couldn't help but slip into the fantasy where I was the one elbow deep in dish water, and he comes up behind me and kisses my neck, whirling me around so I'm pressed against the counter, and I have to keep my wet hands out of his hair, clutching the front of his T-shirt, kissing him so fiercely we both nearly drown in the sensations, and then he takes me upstairs and then-

"So you and Rose made up I take it?" Jasper asked, snapping me out of my fantasy.

"Yeah," I said happily.

"Can I ask… why were you fighting?"

_Well, darling, it was pretty much all about you and my passionate love for you which intensifies more and more each day…_

"It was something stupid. We both said things we really shouldn't have, but they needed to be said. And now I think we can get over it. I missed her a lot."

"I bet," he said. "You guys have never been like that before. It must have been something bad."

"Yeah, it was. But obviously nothing we can't move past." I smiled at him.

"I guess you won't really need me anymore," he said, his tone depressed.

"What?! NO!" I said, too quickly and too desperately. I didn't care. I needed him, and the last thing I wanted was for him to think I could ever somehow survive without him. I couldn't, not knowing how we were together. I hadn't just been imagining how great we were together, it was true. And I couldn't help but notice how sad he'd sounded when he thought I wouldn't need him. It gave me hope.

He smiled sadly. "Alice, what I told you on our hike was true. I do need you, now more than ever. But I understand if you and Rose-"

I took his head in my hands, looking him straight in the eye. "Jasper. I need you, too. I always have. More than you could ever know. And if you think for one second that I don't need you as much as you need me, you're crazy."

He leaned into my touch and closed his eyes. "I'm not crazy," he mumbled with a tiny smile.

I giggled. "Sure you are."

"Not as crazy as you," he said, and slid his arms around me, holding me to him. I wanted to purr with contentment. I settled against his chest, nuzzling his chest, taking in his scent, which was soap and tomato sauce and Jasper.

We didn't say anything, just held each other. My heart was thudding crazily in my chest, and I had no idea how he didn't feel it. Instead, he pulled me tighter, looping my arms around his neck so my feet were off the ground. It took all the self-control in the world not to wrap my legs around his waist to pull our centers together. Oh my GOD, that's all I wanted to do.

Why does he need me? A month ago we were friends, but only because it had always been so and because I couldn't live if we weren't somehow in each other's lives. Now, he was my life, and miraculously, I was his. Fuck. This was so weird, but so right.

It took me a minute to realize he'd started walking. He plopped down onto the couch and took me right with him so that I was practically lying on top of him. Well this I could definitely live with. His hands traced down the curves of my body, resting on my hips, and I could hardly breathe. My hands sought his arms as I rubbed them up and down slowly, feeling the goosebumps erupt there. I kept my head against his chest, almost too afraid to look up at him.

"Alice, what are you doing to me?" he sighed with a laugh in his voice.

"I guess those magic spells I've been casting have worked pretty well," I said with a smirk, hiding my real tone. I felt like I was holding back a huge laugh, or a shout of joy, or something equally explosive.

He laughed, and I felt the vibrations in his chest all the way down to my toes. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Jasper," I said, not wanting to push, but really needing to know. "Will this end now that I'm friends with Rose again?"

"I hope not," he said quietly. "You're part of my life, Alice. Three weeks ago, if you'd told me we'd be this close again, I'd have said they're crazy. And now… I don't want to stay away. I don't think I can."

Holy. Fucking. Jesus. Did he just say he couldn't leave me even if he tried? That he didn't want to be away from me?

"I could never stay away from you, Jasper," I confessed.

He kissed the top of my head, and I tilted my head up to look at him. I willed him to kiss me. Please, please, please…

He leaned forward… my heart started to race… closer and closer… my eyes drifted shut… He kissed my forehead. I sighed in disappointment. I supposed it was too much to hope that Jasper would want to kiss me yet… if ever… I had to face the idea that he might never want to kiss me, that I was slipping from little sister to best friend with ease.

Unacceptable.

_A little at a time, Alice, _I told myself. He's not going to fall for me over night. I'd be freaked out if he did, actually. You can't leap from practically family to deep in love in just a few weeks.

Once again, I pulled away from him before I wanted to. _He has to pursue me, _I repeated, my new mantra.

"I should go," Jasper said as I sat up on the couch.

"Yeah," I said sadly.

"Can we hang out tomorrow?"

I smiled. "After Rose and I play catch up."

He grinned back, shrugging on his coat. "Good. Maybe we can go somewhere on my bike. It stays light late now."

"Good plan." Any plan involving me holding on tight to Jasper was a good plan if you ask me.

"Okay, have a good night, Ali," Jasper said, hugging me briefly and kissing me on top my head again. It made me feel juvenile sometimes, but I knew he wasn't trying to belittle me.

"Night, Jasper," I said, and got bold. I leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth. Not his lips… that would have been entirely too tempting, and I wouldn't have been able to stop. But I caught the corner, faster than lightening, and pulled away before he could have time to freak out. His lips were incredibly soft, just like I thought.

He stood in the doorway, frozen. His eyes were dark again, and he looked like he wanted to say something again, but had lost his words. It looked like he was trying to mentally compute something.

"Night," he whispered hoarsely. He gave a quick wave and a smile, and then turned and walked down the path.

I didn't know how to read his reaction. I'd analyze it with Rose later.

**A/N II: Leave the birthday girl some love, K?? ;-)**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: I couldn't help but post this now. :-) I'm sure you won't mind. ;-) Thank you all so much for the lovely birthday wishes. I had a nice day. I love your reviews, and appreciate each and every one. Leave me love!!! Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being rad, and that'd still be true even if she weren't my beta. ;-)**

**Disclaimer: Plot line mine, not much else is.**

"So, I need to know every single solitary detail from the last three weeks," Rosalie stated, curling her legs up underneath her criss-cross-apple-sauce style, staring at me intently.

"Every. Single. Detail."

"You sure about that?"

"Okay, so I don't need to know all the times he smiled and you got wet- eww, by the way- but I mean, tell me what happened, starting with the night you slept on the couch together."

I started filling her in, starting with the kiss on the neck on their couch, his breakup with Maria, the ways we'd been catching up, spending every day together, all the way up to his confession of how he didn't think he could stay away from me anymore.

"Whoa," she said when I was all done.

"Yeah," I said. It was still unreal to me, even as I recounted each memory to her.

"So what do you think it all means?" she asked. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to herself, biting her nails, something she always did when she was thinking about something. I have no idea how she kept her manicures intact. I looked at my own nails. They were in dire need of some TLC. Spending time with Jasper did not include trips to the salon, though I was willing to make the trade any day, especially if he was going to be looking at me from now on.

"I have no idea," I said. "Sometimes it feels like he wants to tell me something… like he's on the brink of confessing something. But he never does, and I never know what it is. He's so damned hard to read sometimes."

"And yet he was an open book just now. I've never seen him behave like that before, and I know you haven't, either. It was like you possessed him somehow, got in his head and he couldn't control himself anymore. He was practically panting and drooling. We can't forget that he was checking you out last night, too. And he touches you a lot now, on a regular basis. The old Jasper and Alice wouldn't have greeted each other with affection beyond a noogie, and now you can't keep your hands off each other, as platonic as it may seem. That has to mean something."

I remembered just how insanely wonderful his touch felt, and I melted just a little. "God, I hope so."

"Well, we've gotta find out more! And we have to have you looking sexy, m'dear."

"Rose, I always look sexy," I teased. I always looked my best no matter what circumstance. Hell, even when I was sick I wore eyeliner. I knew it was ridiculous, but you never knew just who you might see…

"That's true, but we have to make sure that he doesn't see you as his little sister or even his friend anymore. I mean, you can be friends, but not look friendly."

"I thought you didn't want me near him."

She sighed. "I'm so sorry, Alice. I was really wrong about that. You have to think about where I was coming from; he had a girlfriend, and he wasn't showing signs of interest. You know that you both hadn't spent a lot of time together lately. And I thought maybe you were just deluding yourself because you'd always loved him. I thought you needed to get out more, be with other guys to get him out of your system. I never expected you two to get close, for Maria to be a cheater and skank, for him to start checking you out."

I laughed. "I don't think _anyone_ expected that to happen. So now you want us together?"

"Honey, I keep telling you, I just want you to be happy. And clearly, Jasper makes you happy. I still have no idea why… it still creeps me out… but he's who you want, and maybe, just maybe, you're who he wants."

My heart thudded just thinking about it. It was one thing for me to think it, and another for someone else to say it out loud.

"You think?" I knew I sounded incredibly hopeful, and I couldn't help myself.

"I mean, don't quote me on it… but you never know. We need to do a little detective work, make you look hot enough to fuck, and get you two in a sexually charged situation."

I decided not to add that nearly every situation was sexually charged, at least for me. And there had been a few where he was involved, too…

"Let's see what you've got," she said, hopping up from my bed, and I joined her to root through my closet. "You have to look the same but different," Rosalie said unhelpfully.

"Oh of _course," _I said sarcastically.

She frowned at me. "Do you want my help or not?"

"Yes!" I didn't want her to freak out on me and start our tiff all over again. She was finally okay with my feelings for Jasper- to an extent- and I didn't want to push it.

"Alright. You have to be Alice- the girl he's known and loved all his life. But you can't be _that _Alice anymore, either. Show a little more skin. Wiggle your hips more."

"Rose, I _do _know how to behave around men."

"And yet here we are, in the same place you were ten years ago… maybe a few steps forward, but still pretty much in the Friends Zone."

I ignored her tone. "You're probably right," I mumbled. "I _am_ still a virgin."

"I still can't believe you and James never got anywhere," Rose smirked, pulling a tight tank top out of the closet.

"He wasn't-"

"Jasper," she finished knowingly.

I stuck my tongue out at her. Extremely mature of me, I know. We continued to look through my closet, throwing winners on the bed. Rose also ordered me to only wear my Victoria Secret push up bras from now on. "I don't want to think about you flaunting your goods for my brother to see, but you've gotta wear these now," Rose advised. I imagined Jasper's hands tracing the edges of the cups, enjoying what little cleavage I had.

"Why don't you wear this stuff more often?" Rosalie asked, holding up a purple skimpy top I'd bought on a whim in Seattle. "You'd look so hot in this!"

"Um… I bought that just a few months ago, before we came home and Jasper could see me."

Rose sighed and rolled her eyes. "I realize no other man in the world exists for you, but that's just sad, Alice."

"I know," I said. "Come on, help me find some jeans to match this top."

While I wouldn't call the changes a make-over because I'm the one that did the making over, not getting the help, but I appreciated Rose helping me with my _transition._ Everything was a little bit tighter, a little more revealing, and a lot more enticing.

"You really think he'll like this?" I asked, adjusting the dark blue tank top that showed the top of the black lacy cups of my bra. I had excellent cleavage now, modest though it was.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Are you crazy? Of course he will! Now, we're going over to my place, and you're going to hug Jasper and kiss him on the cheek before we run upstairs. I'm going to watch his reaction. Think you can do that?"

I rolled my eyes. "That's nothing new, Rose. We're closer than that now."

"Yeah, but hun, I have to see how he reacts when you're not looking."

"Right." I was anxious now. Would he look twice? Would his jaw drop? Could he ever see me as sexual being? I snagged my leather jacket and shrugged it on, in the hopes that Jasper's promise of a ride would come into fruition.

"Okay, let's go," she said, and we walked down the street to the Hale's house. Jasper was reading on the couch in the living room, probably a book on the Civil War. The boy was obsessed, it was a little ridiculous.

"Hi Jasper," Rose called out. He turned to greet us, and his eyes widened before he could check his reaction. He stared right at me, and my entire body flushed under his intense gaze.

"Hi guys," he said, still looking directly at me, or rather, at my girls. Apparently he's a boob man. "What are you guys up to?" He tore his gaze to Rose. My heart fluttered with the implications.

"Oh, just hanging out at Alice's, and I have something to show her here. You have plans for later, right?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah, if Alice still wants to," he said, looking me up and down again without shame. If I weren't so excited, I'd have laughed in his face at his blatant move. There was nothing funny about this. I leaned over the couch, arching my back slightly so my breasts were on display. Knowing full well that his eyes were trained on me, I leaned forward to brush a kiss against his cheek. And he blushed. 100%, without a doubt, blushed. I pulled away and said, "I'm looking forward to it." Our eyes met, and we didn't break contact.

My heart was running away from my chest. He was looking! I didn't even need Rose there to tell me, it was just happening, right before our eyes. Holy shit. Either I was really good, or something real was really happening here. God, his eyes are blue…

"Okay, Alice, I've gotta show you that _thing, _remember?" Rosalie said through her teeth, grabbing my elbow roughly and tugging me to the stairs.

"Wha- I… sure, Rose," I said, giving Jasper a smile, and then following her up the stairs.

"HOLY FUCK!" Rose said. "I can't believe that just happened. He was practically eye fucking you, Alice! He looked like he wanted to… eat you alive or something."

My hands were shaking. "Was that real?"

"Very real. It grossed me out. Trust me, it happened."

Just then, my cell phone rang. I wanted to keep talking about this with Rose, but I think I needed a distraction. Otherwise, I'm going to have a heart attack or stroke or something.

"Hello?" I said. My hands were shaky.

"Um, hi Alice," a sweet voice replied.

"Bella! How are you?!" I missed my klutzy roommate. I told her so, skipping out the klutzy part.

"Aww, I miss you, too, Alice! Listen, Edward and I have been talking, and we were thinking about taking a little road trip over to Forks, that is, if you're not too busy."

"Bella, that would be awesome!" I squealed. "When?"

"Next weekend?"

"Perfect! Oh, I'm so excited, I've missed you so much. And we have SO much to catch up on!"

"Don't tell me you and Jasper-"

"Not yet… but there are things I have to tell you about. Oh, this is going to be so much fun! We can go to Port Angeles and go shopping and drinking and-"

Bella was laughing. "Calm yourself Alice! I suppose I'll put up with shopping… for you."

"Bella, you touch me so," I joked. "Okay, call me later with details? And I have plenty of details to give you, too!"

"Sounds good!" she said, and we hung up a moment later.

"Bella and Edward are coming!" I said excitedly. "I can't wait for them to meet Jasper… and you…" I added, catching myself.

"Nice try, I've already met them," she said with a smirk.

"Oh. Right." Of course she had met them already. God, my brain was fried. Fried, and filled with Jasper.

"I can't believe how pathetic you are for him," Rosalie marveled, and I scowled at her.

"Sorry, sorry," she said, "but it's true. Where do you think he's going to take you on his bike?"

"I'm not sure," I said, but I was thrilled at the idea of being anywhere with Jasper, period.

"Somewhere on his motorcycle."

"Oh, so either way, he's going to be the death of you," she said sarcastically. I couldn't help but laugh hysterically.

"You could definitely say that," I said with smirk.

A half an hour later, Rosalie secure in her bedroom, I was walking down the stairs towards my Jasper again. He was still on the couch, and he held his book open in his lap, but he wasn't reading. He was staring into space, looking like he was trying to figure out a complicated puzzle in his head. He looked absolutely gorgeous, even with his forehead wrinkled up.

"Hiya, Jasper!" I said enthusiastically, hoping to break him from his spell. I didn't want him to keep things in, although he was more than welcome to contemplate how sexy I was if he really wanted to.

"Hi Alice," he said, his voice faraway. He glanced up at me again and gulped, looking away quickly this time.

"You still wanna go for a ride?" I asked.

"Um… if you want," he said, but his enthusiasm was gone, his voice quiet and vacant of any emotion whatsoever.

I frowned. "If you don't wanna go…"

"No, I really would like to go for a ride," he assured me, but I could tell his heart wasn't in it. What had I done NOW? I bit my lip, trying very hard to fight the tears that had easily sprung into my eyes.

"Jasper, if you don't want to go, I understand. We can go another time." Please, please, please, don't say okay.

"If that's what you want," he said, shrugging indifferently. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn't help the tear that fell down my cheek. I brushed it away before he could see it, but since he wasn't looking at me now, I supposed it really didn't matter whether I was crying or not.

"We could do something else…?" I said meekly.

"Whatever you and Rose want to do," he said, still not looking directly at me.

God, I had no idea my heart was this fragile. How he could go from professing he needed me to coldly dismissing me in less than twenty-four hours was beyond me, and it hurt beyond belief. What had inspired this change?

"Fine," I said, whipping off my leather jacket and throwing it over the back of the couch. Jasper's eyes focused on me again, and I could tell he was trying very hard not to look. He kept swallowing, and call me crazy, but I thought his breathing picked up a bit as he took in my pale, exposed skin.

Everything clicked at that moment. Ohhhh…

I went from heartbreak and sadness to excitement in ten seconds flat. Was he being weird because he found me -dare I say it- attractive?

He cleared his throat, and I grinned to myself. "Have you had lunch?" It was late in the afternoon, but who knows how long that boy had been caught up in his Civil War tome, and Rose and I had been talking and plotting so long that we hadn't had a bite to eat.

"No, I haven't," he said. "You hungry?"

"Yeah, let's make something to eat."

He was starting to sound normal, but I noticed that on our way to the kitchen, he was quiet behind me- yes, behind me. I wiggled my hips just a little bit more. Not for the first time, I was glad that I had short hair now. He would be able to see my bare shoulders now. Perhaps it would inspire some naughty thoughts about giving me a massage, or perhaps taking me from behind. Hmmm….

"So what do you wanna eat?" I said, throwing open the fridge and bending over to see what was on the bottom shelf. Okay, so I did it to freak him out and give him ideas. I'm evil, what can I say? I heard a choking sound, and turned to see Jasper coughing, tears rolling down his cheeks. I whapped him on the back a few times, and he gave me a sheepish smile as he stopped choking.

"Um," he said hoarsely, wiping the tears away. "Whatever you want to make, I guess."

"It's your house!" I playfully protested. "You make _me _something." I hopped up on the counter, rendering myself useless, and couldn't help but notice that he and I were pretty much eye to eye now. I'd remember this for later, just in case we ever needed a nice level playing field… literally.

Jasper seemed to notice, too. It made it a lot easier for him to check out my boobs without being obvious, since they were right at eye level, and he took full advantage, thinking I was oblivious. Hardly. I leaned back on the counter, hopefully giving him ideas. I would let him fully ogle my body if he really wanted it. I'd been ogling him for years, it was only fair. Rose and my plan seemed to be going spectacularly well so far.

He pulled out sandwich makings, and I giddily pointed out that he had pulled out two different kinds of cheddar and three types of mustard, the duplicates of which were completely unnecessary. He was distracted!

Suddenly, I was being pulled into another lovely Jasper hug. I sank into his arms, welcoming how my body felt against his, and how if I were to kiss him now, I wouldn't have to crane my neck, and he wouldn't have to bend over so far. Perfect.

But there was to be no kiss, sadly enough. Even when I knew there was no chance for a kiss, I was always disappointed when none came. I'd keep on being disappointed until that moment happened. And it would. I was confident in this. I threw my arms around his neck and massaged the back of his neck right where I now knew he liked it. He groaned into my neck for a second, and then pulled back, looking me straight in the eye.

"Just checking," he murmured to himself.

"Checking what?" I asked my voice huskier than usual.

"Never mind," he said, and turned back to making us a sandwich. I noticed he only made two, though he was still perfectly aware Rose was here, too.

"Maybe we can take that drive after all," he said, and I cheered on the inside. Anything to be alone with him.

"Sounds like a plan," I said cheerfully.


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: Once again, what can I say? Thank you so much for your support and reviews!!! They really keep me going. Please keep them coming, they motivate me and really make me smile when I'm low. I apologize in advance, because the torture's not QUITE over, but I PROMISE, it's coming SOON!!!! I promise promise promise!!!! I'm just laying on the tension real nice and thick so it just implodes later. Let's just hope that Alice (and you guys) don't die first. ;-) Thanks so much to EmmaleeWrites05 for being my guest beta for me since LittleLea05 is under the weather. And, being the good friend I am, I'm following her in sickness... so if I'm a little slower updating, you can blame germs that apparently can be spread over hundreds of miles and Twitter. ;-) Thanks to EmmaleeWrites05 for stepping in!!! :-D**

**Disclaimer: I just like playing with the characters, it's not mine.**

We went on rides on Jasper's bike for the next three days in a row. It was insanely erotic somehow, holding onto him, pressing my body against his as the bike hugged the curves of the roads, moving together as a unit. The combination of leather, whatever soap he used and just plain Jasper was enough to make my eyes roll into the back of my head, my stomach to drop and my uterus to wake up just with one inhale.

Inhale. In Hale. Hale in _me. _

Holy fuck, my mind would never stop doing that, would it? I prayed it never did.

We went on back roads, some south, some east, some north, leading out and away from Forks. We'd go just for the sake of going, not really stopping anywhere except maybe to stop on the side of the road to get a closer look at a particularly beautiful view or something particularly interesting near the entrance of an old logging road. Yesterday we'd found a garbage heap of garage sale rejects, including a lamp made entirely out of naked Barbie doll torsos. It was creepy as hell and Jasper laughed his head off, threatening to bring it back and put it in my room while I was sleeping. Sometimes he'd hold my hand when we'd hop off the bike and my heart would do its usual song and dance, and I felt like everything in the world made sense for once.

Then again, Jasper was still being damn hard to read and I could tell that he was probably about as confused about his own emotions as I was. He kept doing that whole "I'm going to tell you something" thing, his lips parted just trying to spit out the words, but then he'd shut his mouth right before anything could come out and I'd be just as frustrated as the first time he'd done it.

Bella and Edward were coming in just a few days and I was buzzing with excitement to see my roommate and her boyfriend. They were the perfect couple. They were made for each other just as much as Emmett and Rosalie were custom built for each other and as perfect as I knew Jasper and I would (will) be together. The only difference was that they both knew it. I was always incredibly envious that Bella's love was requited just as enthusiastically by Edward. It was sickening sometimes how clear it was that they loved each other. And here Jasper and I hadn't made any further progress at all.

Then again…Jasper was currently wrapped around me, and I around him, as we watched _The Daily Show _and _The Colbert Report_. Rosalie always insisted that Jasper had no sense of humor, some kind of emo boy who didn't know how to enjoy a good laugh, but he shook my body with each guffaw, a huge smile stretching across his heart-breakingly beautiful face. Our legs were locked together, mine threaded between his and I shifted slightly in his arm so his thigh rubbed the apex of my thighs just so.

"You comfortable?" he asked.

"Very nearly," I said, sexually frustrated and praying it wouldn't soak through his jeans.

We were lying horizontally on my couch and for the life of me I couldn't remember a time where I was simultaneously more comfortable and more insanely turned on. I have no idea if he knew that my lower back was like my secret turn-on spot or not but it felt like I was going to spontaneously orgasm at any moment if he kept stroking the bare skin just above my jeans the way he was.

I pressed my hips more insistently into his thigh as he continued stroking random patterns onto my skin. If I ever thought Jasper set me on fire before, I was wrong. _This _was what it was like to be consumed by fire. I had no idea how I was going to keep from practically dry humping his leg like some crazed maniac dog in heat. As it was, I was practically panting like one.

"Are you sure you're comfortable? You keep moving." His voice was laced with concern.

"Sorry," I gasped, squeezing my eyes tightly shut and clutching at his shoulders, glad for once that they were covered so he wouldn't have to feel my fingernails pressing into his skin. I could feel the pressure in my stomach building up, up, higher as he lazily caressed my sensitive skin. I arched my back into him, unable to help myself. "Jasper," I pleaded, silently begging him with my eyes to end the torture.

"What's wrong?" He looked seriously upset, and as if he thought it was going to help me somehow, he increased his pace on the small of my back, as if trying to soothe me. I couldn't stop my body from writhing against his powerlessly. "Alice?"

I couldn't do anything but whimper helplessly, burying my face in his neck. "Oh God," I choked out. Was this even physically possible? Then again, my clit was inadvertently rubbing against the seam of my jeans and his thigh _pretty _hard. I was shocked he hadn't figured it out already. I was almost certain my wiggling hips, hardened nipples, and mewling sounds would have been a dead giveaway.

I couldn't look up at him, but I could tell when the pieces clicked together in his head as he stilled his fingers and pulled away from me. He pulled my chin up to look me in the eyes, and I kept them locked shut.

"Alice, look at me," he said quietly. "Please."

I slowly opened my eyes and knew that he could see the lust and desire shining in my eyes. I couldn't not radiate it. Not when I needed him so bad, physically and emotionally. His own eyes widened in what was probably shock and… fear? Uncertainty? Need?

"Sorry," he whispered, and I eased away from him. I was seconds away from boiling over in embarrassment and lust. "I had no idea."

I chuckled uneasily. "Yeah, well, now you know."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said so quietly I almost thought I imagined it and then he cleared his throat. "I think I'd better be going," he said louder.

"Oh, OK," I said, trying not to sound defeated. Jasper was throwing on his shoes faster than I'd ever seen him. He really must have been horrified with me.

"Um, I'll be by tomorrow, that is if you want me to." He looked simultaneously hopeful and terrified I'd say yes.

I'd terrify him tonight. "Sure," I said huskily. Despite the rude interruption, I was still insanely turned on and I'd definitely need some alone time when he left.

"OK, g'night," he said and bolted out the door. "I'll call you!" he shouted as he practically sprinted down the walkway. _Practically _sprinted, because he looked slightly hunched over somehow.

I had suspected, though not hoped to dare for an instant that I had felt _him _against my hip, and as he scurried away in the muted moonlight. I was pretty damn sure that Jasper was limping away with an erection. I felt elated. I had made Jasper hard, whether he wanted to admit it or not! I gave myself an imaginary pat on my back, and then when I was up in my bedroom, a congratulatory rubdown of certain female bits and pieces.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Whoa, are you sure?!" Bella said over the phone.

"Ninety-nine point nine nine percent," I said with a grin. I had wanted to discuss with Rosalie, since I was pretty sure she and Emmett were further along in their month long relationship than Bella and Edward were in their three year long courtship. But there was no way I was going to gross out Rose with details of her twin brother's masterful finger skills, even if it wasn't quite what it sounded like. "He definitely was having a hard time walking home."

Bella giggled, no doubt blushing on the other end. "You should have offered to help!"

"Bella Swan! I can't believe you just said that."

"For your information, Alice, Edward and I aren't as Puritan as you'd like to think."

"Really?" I asked skeptically. She merely laughed again.

"A lady never leaves a gentleman in such a state," she said and I burst into laughter, unable to control the mental images floating around in my brain. I hadn't expected to hear _that!_

"Good for you, Bella," I said, still laughing. "Just keep that on your side of the apartment, OK? I don't need to worry about disinfecting the place from Edward's spunk."

"Oh, that's not a problem-" she said and stopped abruptly. I caught her drift immediately.

"EWWWW!!!!" I said, unable to control my laughter and simultaneous need to vomit.

"Bella, I so did not need to know that!"

"Sorry!" she laughed but I was pretty sure she was blushing up a storm. "So anyways, about you and Jasper?"

Always trying to divert attention from herself. "Well what do you think, Bella? I mean really, I have no idea what's going on in this boy's head. One minute, we're just hanging out, friends and then the next minute, he's practically giving me an orgasm. Completely inadvertently, of course, but it's still happening. And I swear there are times when he seems to want it, to like it."

"Hmm," she said, clearly thinking this over. "I really couldn't say Alice. I need to see you guys together first."

"Well then it's a good thing you're coming to visit on Friday," I said, happy once more.

"I've got so much planned for us!"

"I hope it doesn't all involve playing dress up," she said dryly.

"Bella Swan, I'm wounded. There's more to me than clothes and you know it!" It always hurt just a little bit when people assumed all I wanted to do was shop and makeover people.

"Oh, Alice, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way!" Bella said in an apologetic tone and I forgave her easily. "I'm very excited to see you," she added sweetly. "I'm going to be on my best observational mode so we can figure out just exactly what is going in Jasper's brain, OK?"

"Sounds good!" I said. "See you soon, Bella!"

"Bye!" I flipped my phone shut and then immediately opened it up to call Rosalie. Now that I'd gotten all of the salacious gossip out of my system I could call Rose and not gross her out with my "almost" details.

An hour later we were sunbathing in her back yard. Forks may have a horrid reputation for having bad weather but in the summer we really did have some nice afternoons when the sun wasn't entirely covered with fog or clouds. I was not-so-secretly hoping that Jasper would just happen by a window and burst into flames at the sight of my body but I had no such luck. Jasper had gone to Port Angeles for some unknown reason and Rose said he wasn't going to be back until evening. I swallowed my disappointment and concentrated on hanging out with my best friend.

"So how are you and Emmett doing?" I asked. I realized I had been rather selfish in my own endeavors and probably needed to be a better friend. "You seem really happy."

"Oh, I am," she sighed. It never failed to shock me when she swooned over Emmett in this way. She wouldn't gush but even a breathy sigh said a lot for Rosalie. "He is just… perfect. It's cheesy as hell but that's the only way I can describe it."

I grinned at her and tilted my face back towards the sun. It was hopeless for me to try to tan but I always gave it my best effort. No matter what I did though, my skin stayed milk-white as opposed to Jasper and Rosalie who tanned like freaking Miss Hawaiian Tropic contestants. Well, Rosalie did anyway. Jasper was more like a spokes model for… I don't know. Underwear. Something they show a lot of skin for. Maybe a firefighter's calendar. Yum.

"So you and Jasper…?" Rose started, eyes shut behind her giant bitch-goggles.

I sighed. "Making progress," I said simply. "I'm not sure you wanna know details."

"Oh God," she groaned. "Now I'm just picturing it. Disgusting."

I laughed at her dismay. "You asked."

She gave me a sour look. "Remind me to never ask ever again."

"Fair deal," I said. "Bella and Edward are coming on Friday."

"I know, you keep yammering about it," Rose said trying to sound annoyed but I could tell she was pleased. Most likely because as long as Bella was here, I would be out of her hair and she wouldn't have to hear me gush over and over about how wonderful Jasper was. Rosalie was tolerant but not selfless. I could understand why she didn't want to hear about her brother but she was my best friend. Who else was I supposed to talk about this with?

"So Emmett wants to bring Garrett with us when we hang out on Saturday night," Rose said suddenly.

"Really?" It had been a long time since I'd talked with Garrett. I was ashamed to say that I was so involved with trying to get Jasper to see me as something more that I'd forgotten about most of the other people in my life. I'd have to work on balancing that.

"Yeah and I think it's perfect," Rose said with a grin. "It's going to drive Jasper insane if Garrett's there. It may be just the thing he needs to snap him over the edge."

I liked the sound of that. "Ooh, excellent plan Rose!" I squealed. I could already picture it now. Garrett would show up, Jasper would stiffen by my side and increase his grip on my waist, which for some reason he was already gripping it. _'Will you dance with me?' _Garrett will ask and Jasper will scowl as I agree. Garrett will pull me onto the dance floor, his hands wandering down my sides but nowhere particularly significant. Just enough to throw Jasper over the edge. Maybe Garrett would kiss me on the side of the neck just for good measure, and Jasper would come tearing onto the dance floor to pull us apart, throwing me into his arms and kissing me until we were both breathless and aching for a bed.

"Stop having caveman fantasies about my brother," Rose grumbled and I laughed at her ability to read my mind. Either that or I was just that transparent.

"You started it," I mumbled. We were quiet for a long while dozing in the sun before Rose decided she was just about to burn and I was feeling dizzy from sun exposure. We gathered up our stuff and got dressed.

"Emmett's taking me out tonight," Rose announced. "And I have an assignment for you."

"What's that?"

"Stay away from Jasper."

"WHAT?!" I couldn't help my outburst. I was so used to his physical presence that it hurt to think about being apart for him longer than necessary.

"It'll be good, I promise," Rose said. "You two have been attached at the hip for weeks. I think it's time to cut the thread, just for awhile. He needs to see what it's like to not have you, for you to not be at his beck and call at every moment. I thought you wanted to have the upper hand, Alice."

"Well I do," I said. "I just don't want to cut into my Jasper Time."

"I'm going to ignore that and suggest that you stop being so stuck on him for three seconds."

"One, two, three," I said snidely.

She just frowned at me. "Alice…"

"Fine, fine!" I said. "I'll call him and tell him something came up and I can't see him."

"Just for one night, I promise," she said. "Give him some time to ponder over you."

"Sounds dirty," I said with a laugh and a wink and Rose bared her teeth at me.

I went back to my house after a few hours after Rose kicked me out to get ready for her date with Emmett. Normally I would have stayed to help but she informed me that Jasper was going to be back soon and she wanted me out before he got home. "Just for tonight," she reiterated. "Make him miss the hell out of you."

I looked around my empty house and not for the first time in my life, felt a wave of sadness. I loved my parents and I missed them no matter how old I got and how many times they drove away towards the airport. Sometimes I wondered why they'd even had me, but the musing was always brief and never lasted long.

Now for something to do…I wasn't in the mood for a movie, nor for dancing around in my underwear. It was my secret favorite activity beyond thinking about Jasper while utilizing my BOB (battery operated boyfriend) and I hadn't had much chance to do either since Jasper came back into my life, though I was certainly more inspired to do so than ever before.

Everything reminded me of Jasper now. Sights, smells, tastes, sounds, even colors. He was saturated in my life. I wondered if he felt the same way. Probably not, or at least not as entrenched as I was. I was a goner. I was still pretty sure Jasper could get out if he wanted. I had no choice anymore.

I flipped on the TV and made myself a huge salad. I settled into the living room and flipped on the TV. Of course, they were playing a rerun of _The Daily Show _from last night and of course my mind went instantly back to the near-explosion. God that had been one of the best moments of my life and I hated that he'd stopped. I'd never felt so good in my life. And that was just my back! Fuck, imagine what would happen if we had been naked and his hands went other places too…

Yeah I'd fooled around with guys in the past, in particular James, who had been the closest I'd ever gotten to a boyfriend, but none of them had had one iota of impact on me and my body as Jasper had with his nearly-innocent touch. I'd never felt that amount of need and desperation in my life.

I just hoped that "desperation" wasn't an adjective that people could pin on me, although they probably wouldn't be far from the truth when it came down to it. I just hoped it wasn't apparent to Jasper.

I flipped the channel to some mindless game show and found that it was distraction enough for me to relax and think about something other than Jasper. Maybe after I finished dinner I'd draw some more, too. One of the vistas Jasper and I had stopped at overlooking the Pacific had really inspired me the other day and I wanted to get it onto paper before the vision faded forever.

That's exactly what I did after my plate was cleaned. I turned on the side lamp next to me, turned the TV on to a home decorating show on HGTV, and then turned to my charcoals and paper, escaping from reality for awhile.

Drawing took me to another place and I concentrated on getting the sharpness of the off-shore rocks to contrast with the smoothness of the waves and the turbulence of the clouds above, full of rain and wind and power. I stuck my tongue out the side of my mouth, much like a child, as I blended the charcoal with my fingers, smoothing out the edges and curves.

I was so wrapped up in my drawing that I nearly had a heart attack when my phone rang. I yelped and clutched at my chest, ignoring the stains my fingers were sure to leave on my white top. I knew exactly how to get the stain out anyway.

"Hello?" I said without looking at the caller's ID.

"Hi Alice," Jasper said and my heart flip flopped in my chest. "Whatcha doing?"

"Hey Jasper," I said trying to calm my pounding heart. "I'm… kinda busy at the moment. How was Port Angeles?"

"Oh fine," he said, not giving any more detail. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out."

I felt horrible lying to him, especially since my entire body was aching to be closer to him, dying to tell him to come over so we could be alone again. "Well like I said, I'm kind of busy. Can we take a rain check?"

"Oh," he said and sounded genuinely disappointed. "Sure."

I died a little bit inside. "OK, Jasper, I've gotta go, but I'll talk with you tomorrow, alright?"

"Right," he said sounding dejected and we hung up moments later.

I sighed and felt extremely upset at myself for actually listening to Rose, but then maybe he'd actually miss me we spent some time apart. I wanted him to pine for me and I recognized that spending each and every night together wasn't going to cut it.

I also considered Rose's suggestion for using Garrett to make Jasper insanely jealous. He had offered all those weeks ago and I had to admit that it might be a good idea. Jasper was easily admiring my body, clearly, but he wasn't used to other people desiring it. Maybe he had to see me as a sexual being with someone else before he could picture it with himself. Because oh Lord, I was so ready to be a sexual being with him. He had to know that now with last night in evidence of that. I don't see how he could dismiss it.

And maybe sometime soon I'd feel his magic fingers tracing their seducing circles on my back with him knowing full well just exactly what it did to me.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: You guys are so gonna love me... Thanks to LittleLea05 for getting this back to me even when she's sick. **

**Disclaimer: Only the plot's mine.**

"Bella!" I squealed, and launched myself out the door towards her, gathering her in an enthusiastic hug. "I'm so happy you're here!"

She responded with something that sounded like "Imifffootoo", since her face was buried in my shoulder. I pulled back and she laughed. "I missed you, too!" she repeated.

Edward had been watching this entire exchange with a huge grin on his face, the kind that probably made Bella's panties drop on command, and the kind I wished Jasper would flash at me every now and again. "Hiya kiddo," he said, and ruffled my hair. I frowned at him.

"Hi Eddie," I said, knowing full well he hated the nickname. "Don't mess with the hair."

"Fine, fine," he said with another grin.

"Oh, I like it short," Bella said with a sincere smile.

"Yeah, now you look like the little pixie you are," Edward smirked. I chose to ignore him.

"Come in, come in!" I urged, moving out of the doorway and letting them through the threshold. The good weather hadn't held out long, and fat drops of rain had started to fall in the dust. "How was your drive?" I held out my arms, waiting for them to hand me their coats as they set their bags down.

"Pretty good," Bella said, blushing slightly. From Edward's responding expression, I'd say road head had been part of the journey, and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "Excellent scenery."

I snorted. "I'm sure. Okay, you guys are probably tired, I'll show you your room…"

An hour later, Bella and Edward had showered and changed, and managed a twenty minute nap. They were looking a little better when they trudged down the stairs to join me for some dinner. "Why in the heck are you guys so tired?" I asked innocently as I drained the pasta. "It's not THAT far from Seattle."

Bella started choking her glass of water, and Edward rubbed her on the back to clear her throat. "We had a late night," he said simply, and Bella blushed again. She did that a lot, but it was never for no reason. I would have to have a talk with Bella here right quick.

"Can you hand me the plates?" I asked, and Edward handed me four plates.

"Four?" Bella asked.

Now it was my turn to blush. "Yeah, Jasper is joining us."

"Who's Jasper?" Edward asked, interrupting Bella's significant look at me, which I avoided. I was about to answer something akin to '_The love of my life,'_ but then there was a knock at the door, and my blood pressure was rising.

"I'll get it!" I said, practically dancing to get the door. I threw it open, and there was Jasper wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, both of which were damp from the rain which was coming down a lot harder now. My heart gave an erratic thump, and I returned the huge smile he was giving me. "Hi Jasper," I said, holding my arms open so he could hold me.

"Hi, Ali," he said in a deeper, huskier tone than usual, and my heart leapt again. Whoa. And then he was in my arms, and all was right in the world. He scooped me off the ground, my arms locked around his neck, and my feet were literally swept off of the ground. "Mmm, I missed you," he said into my neck. _Mission accomplished, _I thought to myself.

"I missed you, too," I mumbled. My eyes had shut themselves the second he swept me into his arms, and I was perfectly content to stay just this way forever. Well… not _just _this way… but pretty close to it. Just so long as we were naked…

"Alice, the sauce is bubbling over, I took it off the heat!" Bella called from the kitchen, and I cursed her.

"Okay," I called, sad as Jasper slid me out of his arms. It was so cold without him.

"Dinner's ready," I told him. "You hungry?"

"Need you ask?" he said, grinning at me. He followed me to the kitchen and paused in the doorway. "Hi there," he said, announcing his presence.

"Guys, this is Jasper. Jasper, this is Bella and Edward. Bella's my roommate and Edward is her-"

"Significant other," Jasper finished with a smirk, reaching out to shake their hands. "Alice, you've told me about them a million times."

"Right," I said, slightly embarrassed. "Okay, well, dinner is ready, sit down all of you!"

"I can help," Jasper volunteered, and Bella's eyes widened in surprise. I think it still shocked her when men were courteous, even Edward who was Mr. Chivalrous himself. I was pretty sure her dad, Charlie, was about three steps above caveman.

I smiled gratefully, and he helped me serve dinner. Despite the initial awkward conversation that always begins new acquaintances, we all fell into a comfortable conversation. Edward and Jasper talked about motorcycles and cars while Bella and I tried to have a conversation through our eyes. Something was up between she and Edward, and I knew she was dying to get me alone so she could corner me about Jasper.

"So what do you have up your sleeves for us tomorrow, Alice?" Bella asked.

"Well- I was thinking that you, Rose and I can go shopping tomorrow for something to wear when we go out for drinks later," I started. "You guys are welcome to join us," I added, turning to Jasper and Edward. They both looked terrified. "Rose's boyfriend is coming, too, maybe you can escape the estrogen for awhile," I added, and they looked slightly more appeased.

"Sounds… fun… Alice," Bella said cautiously.

"Am I the only one that wants to go out?" I pouted. I turned my puppy eyes to Jasper, knowing he had a hard time saying no to me when I looked at him that way. Perhaps I should use them more often on him… like when I'm trying to convince him to come to bed with me…

"No, it should be fun," Jasper said quickly. "I'm sure we can find something we'd all like to do."

"Wow, don't you sound like a kiss ass," I joked, and ruffled his hair. "Okay," I said, noting everyone was done. "Who wants to help me do dishes?"

"Me!" Bella said before anyone else could even move. "The guys can go in the living room and… discuss the stock market or something," she said with a smirk.

"What is this, 1953?" Jasper asked, looking slightly incredulous, and Edward just smirked. From what I could tell, Edward probably wished it were still 1953. Bella did cook an awful lot. I'd have to ask her about that sometime. Jasper shook his head and cleared his plate for me, looking me in the eye briefly. I gave him a quick grin, which he returned, and then he and Edward left the kitchen. "Just so you know, I don't know a damn thing about the stock market…" I could hear him say as they left the room.

Bella and I both laughed. "Okay, now I need to know everything," Bella announced, helping me rinse plates and stick them in the dishwasher.

"No way, you first!" I said. "You and Edward are acting awfully funny." I gave her my patented _Tell me everything now or else _look, and she cracked.

"We had sex!" she announced, looking incredibly proud of herself, but also terribly embarrassed to admit it.

"FINALLY!" I exclaimed, and then clapped a hand over my mouth. My eyes widened. "Oops, sorry!" It was about time. The two of them had been dancing around the issue for years now, and Bella was always moaning about how he wouldn't _complete the transaction. _I wondered what she'd done to change Edward's mind, and then I thought about our conversation about spunk, and suddenly really didn't want to know.

"It's okay," she said. "I feel like screaming it sometimes myself." She smiled, and the look in her eyes was of content and worth. I knew that all those times Edward had rejected her advances had made her seriously doubt her self-worth and desirableness. I was happy that she was finally happy.

"Was it any good?" Bella blushed again. "I'll take that as a yes," I said with a grin.

"Okay, well, now tell me about you and Jasper," Bella said, deflecting the conversation from herself. I wasn't too bothered, I'd get more out of her eventually.

"It's been… incredible. I've never been happier in my life- yet I know that it could be so much more. I've never loved him more. And I really hope that he's starting to feel the same for me, too."

She nodded. "He looks at you like you're… everything," she said, and her assessment made me breathless. "It's true," she said when I didn't respond.

Well, tie me down, slap me and call me Sally. I didn't know what to say, or what to think. Bella was a relative outsider to the situation, and very nearly unbiased. What was she seeing that I missed… or what I didn't recognize?

"C'mon," she said. "Let's go be with our men."

I grinned at her description. "Okay!"

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Try this on Bella," I prompted. It was dark blue silk and would look amazing against her skin. I knew Edward would go nuts if he saw her in it.

She fingered the fabric and looked at me skeptically. "Really?"

"Edward is gonna have a heart attack when he sees you in it," I promised. She looked at me doubtfully for a moment, then snatched the hanger out of my hands without another word, flouncing into the dressing room.

Rose stepped out of her own a moment later. "What do you think?" she asked. She looked absolutely stunning in a tight, strapless emerald green dress that barely covered her ass and clung her to her like a second skin. She was teetering on five inch heels, and I knew Emmett wouldn't mind holding her up on his arm all night long if necessary.

"Emmett's gonna freak," I told her honestly.

She bit her lip and grinned. "Thought so," she said, and did a little turn in front of the mirror. I tried not to be envious of her legs that went on for days and days, to no avail. Her honey blonde hair that nearly was the same shade as Jasper's fell to the middle of her back, and I wistfully thought of my old hair. "Where's your dress?" she asked.

"I thought it was more prudent to shoehorn Bella into something before I tried on anything," I said with a laugh.

"I heard that!" Bella said, her voice muffled behind the curtain. "Okay, I'm coming out. Don't laugh."

Rose and I both gasped as she stepped out. Bella's face turned to panic in seconds. "Is it that bad?" she asked, smoothing the material over her stomach self-consciously.

"No!" Rose and I said in unison. "You look amazing," I told her earnestly. "Like I told you, Edward is going to cum in his pants when he sees you in this."

She blushed. "Oh, I'm sure that he won't…"

"Then you're going to make him do it with your feminine wiles," I assured her. "Trust me. He's going to take you home and ravage you… Just keep it down, I want to be able to get some sleep tonight."

Bella merely blushed again, confirming what I had suspected about last night, even if I hadn't heard a peep from their room.

"Okay, so Bella and I have found our dresses… it's Alice's turn!" Rose announced, rifling through the dresses I'd picked out going through the store. "Ooh, I like this one!" she said, and Bella rolled her eyes. "Try it on now," Rose ordered, ignoring Bella.

A few minutes I was stepping out, and even Bella couldn't deny this was the right choice. It was black and strapless with a chiffon layer over it, making it feel floaty. "That's the one!" Rose declared, and I had to agree.

"Jasper's gonna-" Bella started, but stopped when Rosalie gave her a dirty look. Bella was always somewhat intimidated of Rose, and I guess I could see why. She's awfully demanding most of the time, but I loved her anyway. Rose just didn't want to hear anything about the seduction of her brother, and I guess I could understand. Still… I sincerely hoped this would get Jasper's attention. It was sexy without being obvious, but still something that practically cried for attention. I just hoped I'd be getting his attention tonight.

"Alright, ladies, let's get ready for our men!" I said, pulling my dad's credit card out of my purse. My parents felt guilty for leaving me alone all the time, and they were constantly trying to buy me off with unlimited credit. I'll admit, I used it more than I probably should, but I swore that once I graduated I'd stand on my own two feet and never use the black credit card ever again.

* * * * * * * * * * *

When we got to the bar, the boys were waiting for us out front… Jasper, Emmett, Edward… and Garrett. I was more than excited to note that Jasper was scowling in Garrett's direction. He looked like he was three seconds away from growling or something equally aggressive and sexy.

Rose and Bella went immediately to their boyfriends, whose tongues were about to do the whole cartoon-wolf-tongue-rolling-out-of-their-heads thing while steam came out their ears, and I walked cautiously up to Jasper and Garrett. Jasper was staring at me like he was going to jump me (or maybe that was just my imagination), and Garrett just had a big old grin on his face.

"Hiya, Ali!" Garrett said, hugging me. Jasper's jaw was set, his teeth clearly clenched when Garrett released me from a totally innocent hug. "You look sexy, lady!"

"Aww, thanks Garrett," I said shyly. "Hi Jasper," I said, turning towards him, looking him directly in the eyes. They were dark with what I was sure was anger… and something else. He blatantly looked me up and down, then hugged me tightly, burying his face in my neck.

"You look beautiful," he said huskily, and I got shivers up and down my body.

"Thanks," I said. Someone cleared their throat behind my back, and I pulled away, realizing everyone had been staring at us with varying degrees of amusement, including Garrett. Jasper gave him the evil eye again, and we walked into the bar. I did not fail to notice that Jasper's arm remained securely around my waist the entire time.

We found a booth towards the back, on the opposite side of the DJ and his blaring speakers. I sat between Jasper and Garrett, and Jasper kept bristling every time Garrett got within a foot of me, which was often because the booth wasn't too big to begin with. Inside I was doing a victory dance, and everyone else was watching with fascination like it was a wildlife special, although they took plenty of breaks to have animalistic thoughts of their own towards their partners.

We ordered drinks, and I vowed to only have one. I wanted to loosen up, but I knew if I drank more than that, I'd be out of my mind drunk, and I didn't need to be out of it in case something with Jasper happened. I noted he'd only had one beer all night while the others proceeded to blitz themselves. Looks like Jasper and I would be DDs. Dang. I'd hoped to go back with him tonight. But, better to be selfless and take care of our friends than be stupid and risk losing one.

Garrett had knocked back four shots and two beers by now, and his eyes were getting rather glassy. "Gare, hun, maybe you should lay off now," I told him, patting him on the back of the hand. Jasper tensed beside me at the innocent contact. I felt a thrill of excitement go through me at his extremely apparent jealousy.

"Mmm, I'm just having fun," Garrett said. "Everyone else is." I looked across the table to see Emmett and Rosalie eating each other's faces off, and Edward giving Bella the hickey of a lifetime.

"Yeah, I can see that," I laughed, trying not to feel incredibly jealous of my friends. I wanted Jasper's mouth on me so bad…

"Wanna dance?" Garrett asked me. He gestured to our friends, indicating that they had left the booth to sway and/or dirty dance to the music. Edward looked like he wanted to devour Bella on the dance floor, and Rose and Emmett were halfway there already.

"Um, sure," I said, thinking this was the perfect outlet for unleashing Jasper's jealousy, just like I'd planned days ago.

"But Alice-" Jasper protested, looking incensed that I had said yes.

"C'mon," Garrett said, tugging me up and away from the booth before I could protest or respond. He pulled me onto the center of the dance floor and put his hands on my waist.

"He's looking," he yelled into my ear.

"Huh?" I was still slightly confused. My arms hung limply at my sides as Garrett moved me across the floor.

"Jasper. He's glaring at me like he wants to kill me," he said, almost excitedly. "It's working, Ali baby," he slurred, and then he brushed his lips against the side of my neck.

"What's working?!"

"You know, our plan!"

I didn't recall making this plan with him. He seemed to sense my confusion.

"You know, when I offered my services as friend and jealousy-maker?" Oh yeah, we'd talked about it on our second date. "And I think its working. Should we work it just a little bit more?"

"I, uh…" I spun so I could see Jasper, but he had gone from the table. My heart sunk for just a moment, but then I felt a second pair of hands on my shoulders.

"Alice," Jasper said, and his mouth was set in a hard line. "Come with me."

I had never heard such authority in his voice before. It intimidated me, and thrilled me just a little, too. "Um… sure," I said, looking at Garrett for something… permission, courage, anything.

"Have fun kids," he said with a wink, and wobbled back to our booth.

Jasper took my hand firmly in his, and we wove through the undulating crowd, passing Bella and Edward who were heavily making out, and Rose and Emmett were practically humping. I shuddered. I really didn't need to see that. I was shocked to see that Jasper didn't even waver, didn't even glance over at his sister. I'm sure he would be glad about that later.

It was cold outside in comparison to the dance floor. Goosebumps rose on my naked shoulders and arms. In fact, every part of me was cold except for my hand, which Jasper still grasped in his own. He dragged us around the corner, into a darkened alley, lit only by the moonlight through the clouds. At least it wasn't filled with trash.

He dropped my hand and ran his hand through his hair. "What in the hell was that?!" he exclaimed. His dark eyes were turned on me, and he seemed angry, intense.

"Wha- what do you mean?" I blinked. Had this inadvertent plan of mine worked?

"You letting that drunk bastard kiss you… his hands were all over you!"

"He most certainly did not kiss me! And his hands were nowhere but my waist, I'll have you know! What is your _problem? _Going all caveman and taking me away like that, who do you think you are!" My voice echoed through the alley as I got louder and louder. If I prod him just a little…

"I thought I was doing you a favor!" he shouted back. "And I didn't want-"

"What? Didn't want WHAT?"

"I didn't want him to TOUCH you!" he bellowed.

It was silent in the alley now. He was panting for breath, his eyes wild. He had never looked more sexy to me. I bit my lip, trying not to hold out too much hope, but having a hard time denying what was in front of my very eyes.

"Why?" I said quietly after a long moment.

"Why what?" he spat out. Clearly he had said more than he wanted.

"Why didn't you want him to touch me?" I said, louder this time. "Tell me the truth."

"I don't want ANYONE touching you!" he burst out, and my eyes widened in shock as he moved towards me and pinned me to the wall. "No one but _me_," he whispered.

Our faces were inches apart, and we were both panting for breath against each other. His eyes were tracing over my face, from my eyes to my lips and back again, over and over. I fought back the whimper that threatened to slide out my throat. He had my hands in shackles, as if I would ever break away. I felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest. It was extremely hard to breathe, especially with the way he was looking at me.

He released one of my wrists from his hand, and started to trace my jaw, my cheekbones, my nose, finally my mouth. My breath hitched as his thumb brushed against my mouth.

"Alice," he whispered, and I waited for more, but nothing came. I stared into his eyes, pleaded for more, begging him silently to end my torture. Thirteen years of sexual tension was radiating out of me, and I didn't think I would survive this if he didn't make a move.

"Jasper," I said, his name slipping out of my lips like a prayer. He stroked my cheek, and then swore.

"Tell me you want this," he begged. "Please, tell me you want this. Don't tell me this is all a mistake."

"It could never be a mistake," I whimpered. "Jasper, please."

With one more oath, he lowered his head, and then his lips were on mine.

Heaven. Pure and simple. The kiss was edgy, and full of want and need, but it had an underlying feeling of… love… in it. I felt it vibrating between us as he devoured my mouth, and I returned it just as eagerly. There was no space between us as he pressed me against the brick wall, the pain acute but bearable. Any pain would be worth the pleasure he was currently giving me.

His hand dropped from my face, down my shoulder, ghosting past the swell of my breast, and down the side of my body, resting on the small of my back, rubbing gently. I couldn't help but squirm against him, inwardly thrilled that he remembered… and utilized his knowledge. In turn I wrapped my arms around his neck, brushing my fingers against the back of his neck, and he immediately thrust his hips against me.

He lifted me against the wall, and my legs finally wound around his waist in instinct. His erection was pressed exactly where I wanted it, needed it. Oh fuck. This felt too good. I was going to combust in his arms. I ground my hips against him as our tongues battled for dominance. His lips were urgent and needy against mine, and I knew my mouth was just as enthusiastic.

"Oh God," he muttered as he tore his lips from my mouth and began nibbling at my neck. He traced a path up and down my neck with his tongue as I writhed against him, needing more, always needing more. My hands went into his soft hair, trying to pull him closer to me as I ground into him once more. He moaned my name, so softly I could barely hear it, and I returned it with his name.

I tugged on his hair, pulling his mouth back to mine, inviting his tongue into my mouth.

"Alice, I need you," he whimpered between kisses. "I want you… I- I lo-"

"JASPER! ALLLLLICE!" someone called from far away. It sounded like Rose. I was going to murder her later, for many, many different reasons, first being that she just interrupted his thoughts, and I was so desperate to know the end of that sentence. Jasper pulled me off of the wall, and I eased my legs from around his waist, still clinging to him. His lips were swollen from our kisses, and my face felt burned from his slight stubble. It was the best feeling in the world.

I couldn't stop touching him, not even as the voices of our friends got closer and closer. "Jasper," I whispered. I couldn't stop saying it. My body was thrumming, needing him to kiss me again, and I praised the Lord when he did, softly. It would never be enough, not matter how many times he kissed me, touched me, held me, but every little bit helped.

"We should probably go," he said, sounding incredibly depressed. I knew I was. My legs were still wobbly, to say nothing about my lady parts. I felt drunk even though I'd only had one drink. Jasper was my drug now, my drink. I didn't need anything so long as I had him.

He took my hand in his, and we walked to the end of the alley where our friends had just stumbled. Emmett had Rose slung over his shoulder, and she kept swatting at his butt. Edward held Bella in his arms like a bride, and she looked like she had either passed out or fallen asleep. He held her shoes from his fingers. Garrett just looked plain old smug with himself.

"Whatcha been doing?" he asked, grinning out our joined hands and probable mussed appearances.


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: You love me, you really love me... or rather, you love my story. ;-) I'm so glad it was worth the wait for you!!! Don't worry, it's not over yet. :-D Thanks for all of your reviews. Please keep them coming, they make me happy!!! And hey, any readers from Hawaii?? I'm moving there in December, I got a job for AmeriCorps. :-D Anyways... yep. Thanks to LittleLea05 for being my groovy beta and assuring me I'm not moving this too fast. ;-)**

**Disclaimer: Only the plot's mine.**

Edward refused to leave Bella alone, and Rosalie and Emmett were still too handsy for Jasper's liking, so I drove Rosalie, Emmett and Garrett home, while Jasper took Bella and Edward in his car. Jasper glared at Garrett the entire time we were arranging who went in what car, but when I kissed his neck I knew all was forgiven.

My body was still humming from his touch, and my heart was aching to be close to him again. The very idea of being separated for just an hour on the way home was nearly unbearable.

"Meet me at my house?" I whispered in Jasper's ear as the others slid into the cars.

He nodded solemnly, and brushed a kiss against my lips. I nearly gasped in pleasure. It was so familiar, yet so incredibly new, I didn't know what to do with myself. I just wanted to jump into his arms and let him kiss me into oblivion. "I'll be there," he said huskily. His eyes were still incredibly dark, and I jumped on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on the forehead before tearing myself away.

There was nothing in this world but Jasper. I slid into my car with weak legs, my entire being tingly thanks to Jasper's touch.

He wanted to kiss me. _Me. _He'd gone and kissed me, and he wanted to do it again. And hopefully again and again. The best part was that we weren't drunk. That was 100% Jasper there, and 100% me.

"Alice?" Rosalie slurred as she cupped Emmett through his pants, which I tried my best to ignore out of the rearview mirror.

"What?" I asked, fully aware of how dreamy my voice was.

"Don't make out with him in front of me, okay?"

I snorted. "A bit hypocritical, don't you think?"

"Whatever," she said, and started biting on Emmett's neck. Emmett was too blissed out to say anything, and I was glad, because I was fully aware of how relentlessly I'd be teased later.

Garrett just smiled at me from the shotgun seat. "It worked," he finally said when we were on the outskirts of Port Angeles. I turned up the radio to drown out the sucking sounds I could hear from the backseat.

"Yeah," I said, blushing. Thank God it was dark in the car.

"You're welcome," he grinning, shutting his eyes. I turned up the radio more when I realized Garrett was out for the count, and Rose and Emmett were about to make the car smell like sex.

"Knock it off, you two!" I shouted. "I don't wanna hear it."

Luckily, my three drunken passengers settled down, and soon they were all fast asleep, and I was free to let my mind replay the kiss over and over in my mind. I was constantly seconds away from whimpering. I realized that once I dropped off Rose, Emmett and Garrett at the Hale's house, Jasper was going to be dropping off Bella and Edward off at my house, and then he could stay with me.

My nipples hardened in anticipation.

I dropped off the drunks at Rose's house as fast as possible, and zipped over to my house less than a minute later. Jasper's car was parked in front of my house, and I practically leapt out of the car towards the front door where they were waiting for me.

Jasper was smiling at me, a private smile that I now knew he saved for me only. I returned it, barely remembering that Edward and Bella were standing there, too.

"Allllice," Bella whined. "We need to go to bedddd." Bella always got grouchy when she came down from her buzz. She was hanging off of Edward, which I knew probably had less to do with romance and more to do with a need for stability. She was klutzy when she wasn't drunk, and now that she'd downed at least four shots, I was surprised she hadn't gone down with them.

"Fine, fine," I said, and the two drunkards hovered behind me impatiently as I unlocked the door and swung it open. They scrambled up the stairs, either to fuck or pass out… I sincerely hoped for the latter. The last thing I needed was to overhear my previously celibate friends getting it on and making up for lost time.

I was incredibly aware that Jasper and I were alone in the dark house. I was suddenly nervous. The air between us was crackling with energy, and I was almost certain that he'd be able to hear my heart pounding in my chest. I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting with need.

Jasper walked slowly towards me, reaching out to grasp my hand in his. My pulse jackrabbited. "Should we go somewhere a little more private?" he asked, and while his tone wasn't suggestive, it held the weight of all it implied.

I nodded and we walked out to my back yard, out where Bella and Edward couldn't hear anything, and we couldn't hear them. Jasper dragged me to the bench my dad built on one of his "home improvement" kicks. I think he was just trying to make up for the fact that he was never home long enough to make it feel like an actual home.

We sat on the worn wood, and I suddenly felt like a teenager on my fist awkward date. I didn't know what to do with my hands. Would he want to talk? Or just make out? Or neither? Luckily, Jasper made his mind up for us.

He took my hands in his, and he turned towards me, looking me straight in the eyes, his look intense and full of emotion I couldn't quite decipher. He swallowed hard, and then leaned forward. I couldn't breathe. He was initiating another kiss!

I met him halfway this time, letting him know I was just as eager as he was. Our lips brushed together, and I couldn't hold back the moan that escaped. Our mouths moved together slowly, sensuously, never deepening but simply enjoying the sensation of our lips massaging together. My bottom lip was caught between his lips, and he nibbled at it slowly, driving me out of my mind.

My body and brain were melting. I leaned forward to wrap my arms around him, eager to be much, much closer to him. It took a lot of will-power not to straddle him and just plain old have my wicked way with him. I scooted as close as I could get without spreading my legs. Mmm, spreading legs…

Jasper let go of my hands, and pulled me close to him, his fingers splayed out across my back. He ran his tongue along the seam of my lips, urging them apart, and our tongues met together, torturously slow, lingering and savoring before moving on to explore more. I tilted my head, and heard him moan as we deepened the kiss further.

I was floating, flying, all of those good, incredible, amazing and unbelievable adjectives. This kiss was endless, and I wasn't about to pull away. I wanted this always, just him and me, and the soft, wet connection between our mouths.

Finally needing oxygen, we reluctantly pulled apart. If I had been moon-eyed about him before, I was a goner now. There was no way I'd ever get over him ever, not after those two kisses, each so different in tempo, yet still so intense.

"That," he said softly, running his hand through my cropped hair, "should have been our first kiss."

I nodded mutely, unable to speak. My body was throbbing with need.

"Alice, is this what you want?" he asked softly, touching my face like he was trying to memorize each curve. My breath hitched when his thumb brushed over my bottom lip.

"Yes," I replied just as quietly. "More than anything."

He brushed his thumb against my top lip, and then replaced it with a soft kiss. I wanted to whimper. I felt so cherished beneath his hands.

"Good," he said, his voice husky. "I have no idea how this happened," he admitted.

"Me either," I said. "But I'm not complaining."

He laughed. "I'm glad."

I almost wanted to laugh. It was almost as if he were the one trying to convince me of this, that it was okay, that I wouldn't run away from him. Really, that was my own fear.

"This bench isn't exactly the most comfortable place to continue this," I said. "Should we…?" I jerked my head towards the house.

"Yeah," he said, taking my hand in his again and pulling me from my seat. I was not surprised to find that my knees had no support in them whatsoever. How was I expected to perform regular bodily movements when everything I'd ever dreamed for, ever hoped for, ever fantasized about, was finally coming true?

Jasper's arms wound around me, and then he dipped his head to bring me into another bone-melting kiss. I wondered briefly if he were giving it his best, or if he was just a damn good kisser.

"Jasper," I moaned. I couldn't stop saying his name. It was as if I were trying to validate that it was really him, that I wasn't just imagining this. Then again, my imagination hadn't been one tenth of this. Fantasy paled in comparison to his real lips.

Oh my God, what would happen when we had sex? I would fall apart, I was sure of it.

"Upstairs," he rasped, and we made it into the house, up the stairs, and towards my bedroom. My heart leapt. We'd never spent a lot of time together in my room, not since we were kids, and the day we went on the hike and I'd drawn our clasped hands.

I closed the door hard behind us, slipping the lock shut. I didn't know what was going to happen here tonight, but I sure as hell didn't want any surprise guests from the outside.

Now it was Jasper's turn to look nervous. "We don't have to do anything tonight," he said, trying to reassure me. "I just wanted some time alone… all comfortable and whatnot…"

I smiled at him, taking his hand in mine and kissing his wrist. I was pleased to feel his pulse thrumming underneath my lips. "Jasper, I trust you. You can't push me to do anything I don't want to do."

He swallowed. "What do you mean?"

I shook my head. "Never mind. We can talk about it later." I knew we'd have _lots _to discuss much, much later. I needed him, now. I was overly-eager, but I couldn't help myself.

"Alice, I don't want to rush this. I don't want to ruin anything that could be between us just because our hormones are going crazy." He sat on the edge of my bed, and I had the strong desire to push him back and have my way with him. I abstained, because I knew he was being incredibly serious right now.

I bit my lip, trying to calm myself. "Jasper, I've wanted this for too long to wait much longer."

"Okay, again, I'm going to ask you to elaborate." He gave me his serious face, and I knew that no matter what I did now, he'd just want to talk. I was trapped between my desire and the necessity to discuss things through.

I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him before he could protest further. It was brief, but I hoped it expressed all the love I hoped to convey.

"Jasper, I've loved you my whole life," I finally said. Finally, because it seemed like I'd kept it a secret from him for eternity, like I'd been waiting to say these words my entire life, not just the length of time I'd known him.

"I love you, too," he said, looking confused.

I sighed. "No. No. I'm _in _love with you."

He looked like he wanted to say "_Ohhhhh." _I waited in earnest for his response, terrified

I'd given away too much too soon.

"How long?"

"Does it matter?"

He shook his head. "No, it really doesn't."

We were quiet for a long while, a long moment full of tension and ache, at least on my part. I really shouldn't have said anything, I really, really, _really _shouldn't have said anything…

"I love you, too," he said again. "_In _love with you."

I was breathless, literally speechless, which was a usual thing for me. Inside, my heart was doing acrobatics, and I realized I'd never been this happy in my entire life. _Ever._

"Are you sure?" I asked, unable to trust my own ears. Maybe I was hallucinating.

"Positive," he said. "I never thought… Alice, I never expected it to be you… me… us… but this is right in a way I never thought possible. Somewhere in these last few weeks, I've fallen in love with you, and I don't know how I can live without you. I couldn't. Don't want to. You're it."

I was crying. The emotional overload was killing me, and it was a sweet, wonderful death. I had to be dreaming.

"Alice?" Jasper's voice was filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I've dreamed you'd say those words since I was eight," I sobbed. "It's always been you, Jasper. Always. No matter how many times Rosalie rolled her eyes, or I thought I was just fooling myself, that you could ever love me… I always had hope. And I just never believed this moment would come…" I was hyperventilating, and I'm sure my eyes were red with tears. Great. How romantic, how attractive.

Jasper brushed away my tears and kissed my forehead, cradling me to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into my hair. "I didn't know, I didn't see…"

"It's alright," I said, sniffling. "You were just taking your time finding your way to me, making sure we'd be perfect for each other now. It was worth the wait."

He tilted my face so I was looking into his eyes, and I could see they were full of tears, too. I'd never seen Jasper so overcome with emotions before, even though he was always full of emotion.

"I love you, Mary Alice Brandon," he declared.

"I love you, Jasper Hale," I returned, and lightly tugged on his hair so he would bring his mouth to mine.

This kiss was triumphant, full of what I now knew was love and contentment. My fingers curled into his hair, instantly asking for entrance to his mouth so I could explore his taste, fully memorize the way his tongue played with mine.

Before I realized what was happening, Jasper had laid me down onto my bed, and was hovering over me, kissing me breathless. My leg hitched up around his hip, bringing him closer as our mouths devoured each others, exploring and sighing and expressing everything we'd held in for so long (at least in my case).

His hands hovered politely at my waist, rubbing circles along my hipbones, and I knew he was just trying to be the good Southern gentleman that Mrs. Hale had always taught him to be. I loved him for it, but I wanted more. I grabbed his large hands in my tiny ones and dragged him up my sides, just underneath my breasts.

Jasper groaned in my mouth, tentatively cupping my breasts in his hands, softly caressing me over my dress. I wanted more, but I also didn't want to push him. We would have time now, I knew. Lots of time to explore each other's bodies, know each other as intimately as we knew each other's minds, hearts.

Right now, I wanted to explore his mouth. I'd spent years fantasizing about it, and now I could freely taste him, nibble on his full bottom lip, feel the way he used his tongue to entice mine into his mouth so he could suck on it. Whenever he did this, I could help but mewl and buck my hips into him. It just felt way too good.

He was being careful, not letting his hips rest against mine, and putting the least amount of weight on me as possible. I didn't like this. I wanted to feel him, finally feel all of him against me, like I did in the alleyway. I needed to know that I could affect him as deeply as he did me, though I now had his words to prove it.

It was going to take a lot of convincing on his part for me to believe he really loved me as much as I loved him.

I tore my mouth away from his regretfully, needing to breathe, and was delighted to feel his mouth against my neck, feeling the way he eagerly sampled the skin there, taking his time, figuring out which spots made me whimper, and which ones made me buck my hips again. I wasn't sure if he was trying to mark me, but I was more than willing to let him if he wanted. I was Jasper's, now and forever, and I wanted the whole world to know I belonged to him, as childish and anti-feminist as it sounded.

I tugged on his hair, suddenly impatient to feel his glorious lips on mine again. I took charge of the kiss this time, asking for entrance and nibbling at his lips, relishing his taste. My mind began to wander, thinking about what he tasted like in other areas… and scolded myself. Later, later… all in good time.

Jasper had finally decided to make use of his hands, and he created paths of fire up and down my body, igniting me with his fingertips and palms, running his hands up and down the curves of my waist, down my legs and up again, past the hem of my skirt, pushing it up my thighs, making me ache all over for him, as if I weren't already dying for more.

"Oh God, Alice," he sighed. "I never realized…" And then he was back to my mouth, cupping my neck and pulling me in for a fierce kiss. Our lips were going to be bruised, I realized hazily as he crushed his lips to mine, but I couldn't care less. I wanted this. I'd been dreaming of this for so long that I couldn't stop it now.

Unfortunately, Jasper had better presence of mind than me, and pulled back, giving me tiny kisses all over my face.

"We should stop now," he said, his voice deeper than I'd ever heard it before. "Or else I'll never stop."

"Would that be such a problem?" I teased, shocked that I could even find my voice.

He moaned. "Don't tempt me, darlin'." My heart skipped a beat as his smooth Southern accent made an appearance.

I kissed the tip of his nose. "I love you. I'll never be able to stop saying it."

"Me either. I love you, too, Alice. God, I was such a moron all these years…"

"Yup," I said, giggling. He shut me up with a kiss, and I didn't protest. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

He gulped. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm already having a hard time keeping my hands to myself."

I sighed, running my hands up his arms. "You've created a monster, you know that, right?" I noted the goosebumps rising on his skin.

"God, I hope so," he murmured, kissing me again. His fingers dug into my hips, and it felt damn good. I could tell he was trying to gain control over his emotions, something I knew he struggled with, and my inevitable horniness wasn't helping anyone at the moment.

I knew that I would have to be happy with barely second base for now, but that didn't mean that I was going to be satisfied with it. I needed more. I'd always need more.

"Please stay," I said, playing with the ends of his hair.

He nuzzled my neck. "Okay," he agreed. "But you have to wear the most nun-ish clothes possible, alright? You are killing me…"

"Why don't you just give in," I said hopefully. "You know you want to…" I gave him my most seductive smile, and my puppy-dog eyes.

He groaned. "You truly are one frightening little monster," he said, nipping at my neck.

"You can make me do anything, and you know it."

I felt giddy, but I tried to remain nonchalant, though I was sure my pulse and radiant smile gave me away. "Good to know," I teased. "There's this painting I really like, you know, the Mona Lisa, you might've heard of it, and I was hoping you'd help me heist it from Paris."

He laughed. "Unfortunately for me, I'd probably do it, just to make you happy."

"Aww, you're so sweet," I said, giggling, and kissed him. I couldn't stop myself. I had to keep kissing him. It was essential to life now. "Yet you won't let me try to seduce you tonight."

He sighed. "I want it to be perfect, alright?" I swore he was blushing.

I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth. "Sounds perfect," I said after a moment.

Jasper groaned. "Alice, love, you're killing me."

My entire body thrilled at his term of endearment. "Just part of the plan." And then, because I can't help myself, I kissed him again.

"Let's get changed," he suggested. "And then we can neck until we fall asleep."

"Deal!"


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: SO. A long A/N here, but it's important so please read. **

**I've been having a really horrible time finding inspiration for this fic, and I came to realize that it's because no matter what happens in this fic, Alice is always going to be shocked/amazed/happy/blissful, etc. Her reaction's always going to be the same. And I thought... OK. If you're in love with a guy for thirteen years, and suddenly he loves you back, how are you going to know if it's real or not? As a reader I'm probably thinking the same thing. I had a lot of readers thinking it might all be a dream on Alice's part. So I decided to make the rest of this story from here on out in Jasper's POV. It will bring in a different perspective, and I hope that you guys understand why and enjoy. Please let me know what you think!!! Plus, I know that this chapter is a bit redundant, but it's JPOV of The Kiss and beyond, so we can see what was going on in his mind. It's also a bit "girly" or "emo" I suppose, but Jasper's in touch with his emotions as we all know. They won't all be like this, I promise. It's not always going to be all sappy and whatnot.**

**A HUGE thanks to EmmaleeWrites05 for supporting my idea and giving me loads of inspiration, and as always to LittleLea05 for being my rockin' beta. I can't wait to meet you girls in a few weeks!!! :-D **

**Disclaimer: As always, it isn't mine.**

**JPOV**

The first time I woke up beside her, I was a goner. She always smelled like vanilla, but today was the first day I got hard thinking about the scent being in my sheets, the first time I imagined her in my bed. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my palms, trying to erase the images of her lying naked beneath me, begging for me to take her, but they wouldn't go away. Fuck me. I wanted my best friend.

Weeks passed, and we grew closer. She found her way into my arms somehow, and I instinctively held her back just as tight. When I pulled back, I was cold. I didn't want it to end. When she wasn't there, I didn't know what to do with myself. She had become ingrained in me, so much a part of my life that I couldn't remember a time when she wasn't there… or when I didn't want her there.

Her hazel eyes killed me. They told me so much… things I wasn't ready to know, things I had to come to terms with before I even realized what was happening. They pierced my soul, repaired my heart, and I couldn't look away even if I tried.

I couldn't imagine my life without her. I wasn't sure what it meant just yet, but I knew that it meant that nothing was going to be the same.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The girls walked towards us, and my eyes only saw Alice. She was the only thing in the world. I felt like I couldn't breathe. She had never made me truly breathless before. Sure, she'd tackled me before, knocked the wind out of me when we were kids, but she had never truly accomplished making me forget how to draw in oxygen before, just by the curve of her hip, her soft skin, her delectable collarbone.

I was staring, and I knew it, and she knew it, and I couldn't bring myself to care. It felt like everything that had been building between us for the last three weeks was finally coming to a head, and I couldn't stop it even if I wanted.

And then she had to go and hug that motherfucker, Garrett. Now, I'm sure he's a nice guy. I'm sure he has good intentions. He seems like a sincere enough guy. But I wanted him off of Alice, and _pronto. _The only hands that belonged on her were _mine. _

_Okay, where did that come from?_

Alice had always been what I considered my little sister… she was family, a near constant presence in my home. It was easy to see her as a sibling; she was a tiny little thing that always was willing to get into to trouble with me. She never had real boyfriends when we were growing up, but I always felt extremely protective around her when it came to other guys.

I had always written it off as an older brother taking care of his baby sister.

Was I wrong? Had it changed? Holy Jesus, was I _jealous?_

And then she was in my arms again, and I couldn't deny that I wanted her, needed her.

"You look beautiful," I whispered, and she trembled. Little did she know, I was seconds away from doing the same.

I couldn't pull away now. She was mine, and I wanted everyone to know. I felt like a territorial prick, but I couldn't help it. The entire night, she kept brushing up against the increasingly intoxicated bastard, and he kept leaning in to whisper things to her. I was constantly on edge, trying to ignore my libidinous friends, and trying to mentally throw Garrett off of Alice.

When he dragged her out on the dance floor, I'd had enough. He was touching her, his hands running up and down her body… where _I _wanted _my _hands. His lips brushed against her neck, and I became incensed. I swear to God I saw red. That was _it. _

The fucker kept whispering in her ear, and I couldn't see the expression on her face, but I could tell she felt somewhat comfortable, and I was horrified and angry. Furious more like.

I curled my fists against my sides and strode towards them, bumping against whoever was in my way. Garrett was smirking at me drunkenly when I reached them. I wanted to punch that smug look off his face, but I knew it would upset Alice and I'd probably hurt my hand, so I refrained. Instead, I grabbed her shoulder.

"Alice, come with me," I said, and it came out more like an order than I had planned. She came with me, by some miracle, and I had to make a promise to myself that I would calm the fuck down now.

That promise lasted all of three seconds when I turned to her and started shouting. I couldn't believe the jealous, horrible things that were coming out of my mouth, but I couldn't help it. She was staring at me, wide-eyed and incredulous, and then she was yelling back, telling me just what an idiot I was being.

And then I had to go and say "I don't want ANYONE touching you… no one but _me," _and I was pinning her to the wall, and she wasn't protesting, she wasn't pulling away, she wasn't screaming at me like she had the right to be doing.

She was breathing heavy against me, and begging me with her eyes… something I'd seen her do a million times without realizing what it meant.

Oh, God. I wanted to kiss her. More than that, I wanted to ravish her, wanted to give her everything she ever deserved in life, wanted to fuck her senseless and then love her gently.

Wait, what? _Love?_

Oh my God. I loved her. I reached up and traced the skin on her cheek; it was as soft as I remembered, and a flush rose easily. Her lips were parted, and she looked like she was having just as hard a time not leaning forward and ending this torture as I was.

I couldn't help but whisper her name, and she moaned mine back. I could practically feel us sharing the same air; her lips were red and looked like they were waiting to catch my kiss. But I knew that if this happened, there would be no going back. I was in love with her, and I wasn't sure I could survive if she saw it all as a big mistake later. I couldn't live with that. So I asked her for her reassurance, and she gave me it. I saw my future in her eyes, the reassurance I wouldn't be in this alone. And then I kissed her.

Why hadn't I been doing this our entire lives? Granted, it would have been awkward for kids to be French kissing when we barely even knew what our reproductive organs did yet, but _fuck, _why had I waited so long? What was my problem? Why hadn't I realized… that I needed this, more than oxygen, more than food, more than water… I needed this.

I couldn't stop myself from grinding against her, nipping at her neck, sucking on her tongue, worshiping her mouth with mine. I wanted more, needed more, had to have more, or I was sure I was going to explode. Of course, that could have something to do with the way she was rubbing herself against me. I was going crazy.

It was endless, or at least I wanted it to be endless. I couldn't stop myself from confessing my desires, nearly confessed my heart, too, unplanned and uninhibited. We were tightly wound around each other, and it was going to take a nuclear blast to pull me away from her.

A nuke, or the sound of my sister's drunken voice, one or the other.

We eased away from each other reluctantly, and I couldn't help but admire her eyes, dark with desire, and her lips, swollen from our passionate and eager kisses. She was shivering, but I had an idea it had less to do with the temperature and more to do with me, or at least I could hope. My stomach was doing flips, and I had no idea your heart could beat this fast without killing you.

Or maybe it would kill me. Maybe Alice had a killer kiss. What a way to go. I wasn't about to complain.

That motherfucker, Garrett, had the audacity to look smug when the group found us moments later, and I ignored Rosalie's playful behavior with Emmett. I didn't need to see that shit. We drove home, a trip I've never made faster in my life. I needed Alice.

And then suddenly we were together, kissing as if it were the most natural and beautiful thing in the world. Then again, it really was. I was internally kicking myself for not doing this sooner. We could have had years of these kisses, and I was a moron. I'd spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her.

We were in love. Hours later, I told her because I couldn't hold back anymore, and she said it right back, and I was floating higher than the clouds, I was exultant. My lips tried to tell her just how happy she'd just made me.

And then suddenly I was faced with a dilemma. I wanted her. She wanted me. But it was all too unreal, all too fast. I tried to get my bearings as she ground into me, over and over, and I was losing my mind and my willpower to stop her.

Not like this. She pouted, but I held my own. Not tonight. Soon, very soon. But she needed to know I meant to give her more than just my body. My heart, my soul, my body, it was all hers, now and forever, but she had to know that I wanted her heart and soul before her body.

We'd wait. Not long… I couldn't hold back for long, but it had to be right. I loved her too much to give in now.

We fell asleep in each other's arms, and I have never felt more content in my entire life. _Mine, _I thought as I traced her curves through her massive sleep shirt. Thank God for that, or else I'd be going out of my mind, more than I was already.

* * * * * * * * * * *

At first, I thought I was hallucinating. Alice couldn't possibly be snuggled against my side, leg thrown over my legs, arm flung over my stomach. And yet… I blinked once, twice, and she was still there, looking like something out of a dream… a wet dream perhaps, but a dream nevertheless.

I kissed the top of her head, reeling with the events of last night. How had this all happened? I couldn't believe it. Yet it happened. I could still feel her hands in my hair, her mouth on mine, the way she ignited my body with fires only she could build.

And I loved her. I knew that now. I wasn't going to say that I had always loved her, because that would be a lie, but everything in my life had led me to this moment, to this revelation. And she loved me. How in the hell had that happened? She said it happened for her when she was eight.

I looked down at her now, and tried to remember back when we were eight. It was so long ago. I barely even knew what love really was back then, let alone felt it. But somehow…

I pulled her closer to me and began laying soft kisses up and down the column of her throat, from the base of her ear to the place where her neck and shoulder met. The skin was soft there, and tasted lightly of salty sweat and the undeniable flavor of Alice herself. I made the circuit several times, hoping my touch would bring her out of her deep slumber.

I was rewarded with a moan moments later, a sound which inspired my morning wood to stir even more curiously. _Down boy, _I told him. _Not now, later. _

"Jasper?" Alice said, her tiny, warm body pulled me closer, if that was even possible.

"Yes my love?" Bizarrely, and most pleasantly, I felt her pulse quicken beneath my hands.

"Is that really you?" She sounded so unsure, almost as if she were dreaming somehow.

"It's really me," I assured her, and continued to assault her neck with kisses. She shivered, and arched into me further. Fuck, she felt so good. I wanted nothing more than to feel her naked against me, to bury myself deep inside her. I tried to brush those feelings aside. I needed to be the gentleman my parents had raised me to be… if only for a day or so.

"I love you," she whispered, and I stroked her cheek gently.

"I love you, too," I said, looking deep into her eyes. Her eyes were soft with longing and need, and most importantly, love.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

"Even with morning breath?" I teased.

"Even with morning breath," she confirmed. I rolled on top of her, surprising her. She let out a tiny squeak of surprise as I drew her arms up over her head and pinned them together with one of my hands. I kissed just under her jaw, feeling her undeniable racing pulse, and kissed my way up to her mouth, which was parted slightly already.

It wasn't the most delicious kiss in history, but I'd be shocked to find another more loving kiss. It was somewhat chaste, but it held the promise of more, and the desperation we both felt for each other.

When we broke apart, she burst into giggles, wrinkling her nose. "You may have been right, we should have brushed our teeth first."

"You little-" She was up and off the bed before I could catch her, but I had longer legs, and I caught her by the waist just before the bathroom door. "You'll pay for that," I whispered in her ear, feeling her still in my arms and fall back against my chest. Instead of tickling her, as I normally would have, I let my hands wander up and down the curves of her waist, and across her flat stomach.

I felt rather than heard her breath hitch as I continued my random patterns on her body, resuming my vampiric act of nipping at her neck. "Jasper," she whimpered. "You know how you were talking about me killing you last night?"

I chuckled against her neck. "Yeah?"

"Well, you're killing me now," she said, arching her back into me, feeling her cute little bottom brush against my ever increasing erection. I hissed at the sensation.

"Sorry about that," I said, biting her neck gently before releasing her.

She handed me a new, spare toothbrush, and we brushed our teeth together in silence. I kept catching her staring at me in the mirror, blushing slightly, and I decided she had never been more beautiful to me than in this moment. Her hair was a complete mess, and she wasn't wearing makeup, and she was wearing a giant, shapeless T-shirt for UW, but she had never looked more sensual and lovely than right now.

I felt privileged to see her this way. This was an intimate Alice, one that hopefully not many others had seen.

I didn't want to ask, but I had to know. I had been with Maria, and a few other girls before her, and I had never regretted it until now. Now, I just wanted to forget all of them and start over new with Alice. She was the only woman that would ever matter, now and for the rest of time. That's why I had to wait with her. I wasn't about to mess this up.

Apparently, Alice had better ideas. As soon as I was done spitting out the last of my toothpaste, I found myself pressed up against the bathroom wall, and my mouth being assaulted by Alice's. And I was in heaven. She tasted delicious, like toothpaste, naturally, but also that sweet amazing taste that was simply her.

My hands found the small of her back, a place I now knew would drive her crazy, and stroked my hands lazily against her, wishing not for the first time that she was naked beneath my hands. I pulled her closer to bring her body more flush with mine. I hated for her to strain to reach my lips. The height difference between us had never been more obvious.

I lifted her off the ground, and set her gently onto the counter. She whimpered in what seemed like discomfort, and I reluctantly pulled away. "What?"

She flushed. "Two things. One, this counter is freaking freezing, and I'm not exactly wearing pants! Two… I have to pee, and it's not really comfortable being moved around."

Her blush was rivaling Bella's, which was infamous to me even before I met her.

"I'm sorry!" I said. "I'll give you some privacy, and then maybe we can go make some breakfast."

She pouted. "I didn't want to stop…" she said. I stroked her cheek again, and gave her a brief kiss to assure her.

"I don't want to stop, either," I said. "But if you have to pee, then who am I to stop you?"

She laughed then. "Okay, fine, get your cute butt out of here!" she said, hopping off the counter. "And we'll finish this later," she said before closing the door behind her and switching on the fan. I had to laugh at that.

I decided that I had best get my ass down the stairs, or all my resolve would be shattered. If I had my way, I'd be buried deep inside her already. But that was me with other girls, girls I didn't love. I'd never been in love before, I realized. I had convinced myself I was in love with Maria, because we were together for so long, but really that was just something I said because I figured I was supposed to, not because I really meant it.

But Alice was totally different. I'd always loved her, first as a sister, then as a friend, and now as an (almost) lover. Being in love with her was the most miraculous thing I'd ever felt in my life. I never knew it could feel so different this way. Like the universe centered around her. Like nothing mattered but her.

Damn. I'd always teased people for thinking like this, talking about it like it was a fucking miracle. But you know what? I was one of those people now, and I wasn't going to have it any other way now.

I walked down to Alice's kitchen and started pulling things out of the fridge for breakfast. It was odd. This was nothing new. We spent days and days and days together, and there was zero awkwardness between us. It was like the old days, but not. The difference was intimacy, or rather the desire for it.

And speaking of desire… Alice walked into the kitchen, and I had to hold myself up on the counter to keep from staggering. The little minx had changed, wearing the tightest tank top I'd ever seen, paired with the shortest shorts known to mankind. I gulped audibly, and she giggled.

"You can't be the only insanely sexy one," she teased. "You're making me pant in those boxers and T-shirt. I figured it was only fair to return the favor." She stalked towards me slowly, making me feel a bit like a cornered animal being hunted by a big cat. When had Alice learned to be all sexy? It was a mystery to me, but one I wasn't willing to question.

"Alice," I whimpered as she pushed me against the counter this time. "Fuck, you're making it hard for me to be a gentleman."

"Fuck that!" she said, surprising me. Alice didn't curse often, and when she did, it was because she was particularly passionate about something. She was _that _passionate about being physical with me? Well, this piece of information wasn't going to help me any. She traced her fingers up and down my chest, lightly using her nails. "Jasper, I've waited so long for you," she said quietly, looking down, almost as if she were embarrassed.

"I'm sorry I was an idiot," I said just as quietly. "More than an idiot. You should have whapped me against the head."

She smiled. "I tried, but you were just a stubborn ass who insisted I was your sister." She said the word like it was dirty, and I could see her point. "You made me feel incestuous or something."

I burst into laughter. "Eww, gross!" I ruffled her hair, and she frowned at me.

"It's not funny!" she cried. "You know how much that hurt? I wanted to kill you every single time you said it."

"I'm glad you refrained," I said, kissing the top of her head. "Because you would have been really sad in the long run."

"Yeah," she sighed, wrapping her arms around me and resting her head against my chest.

"I love you, Jasper," she said. "And I'm never going to stop saying it, so you'd best be getting used to it."

"You could say it for the rest of our lives and I'll never get tired of it," I sighed. I dared anyone to find a more content man on the planet at this moment. Just try. I will beat each and every single sad sap.


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm really happy most of you are on board with JPOV. :-D It's fun to write from his head now. Also, we hit over 300 reviews last chapter. Woo hoo!!!! :-D You guys rock. I appreciate each and every review and thought. Keep them coming!!! Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for getting this back to me so fast. :-)**

**Disclaimer: It isn't mine, and neither is "The Magic is in the Hole." (explanation below)**

Alice and I were lying on the couch in my finished basement, making out heavily. We were here under the pretense of watching a movie, the DVD still lying on the coffee table, the TV not even flipped on. Everyone knew what we were up to, but didn't say a word. I was actually shocked that Emmett didn't have a few words to say, but I supposed Rosalie had threatened him in some way, probably withholding sex if he said a word. Eww. I didn't want to think about my baby sister in that way. Ever. So I kissed Alice more intensely and forgot about everything but her.

She was busy straddling my left leg, our upper bodies and mouths fused together. She was slowly rocking herself on me, to my complete delight, and changing the angle of the kiss, deepening it and moaning into my mouth. My dick got harder and harder with each whimper that escaped her lips, with every shift of her hips against me, with every nip at my bottom lip, and the glorious things she did with her tongue.

My hands couldn't stop exploring her body above mine, pushing the limits more and more as I pushed aside her shirt, feeling her milky soft skin. She shuddered above me, and kissed me more fiercely. Her hands wound in my hair, tugging on it gently, spurring me on. I continued up her sides, brushing against the side of her breasts. She whimpered and arched her back against my hand.

"More," she moaned and then attacked my mouth again. I reached between us and cupped her breast in my hand, massaging it in my hand. She was small, but the perfect handful and it felt bizarre and wonderful to be touching her like this. In all of our physical exploration, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and the feeling of regret or wrongness to sink in. It never did. Apparently I had always been wrong about her being my "little sister." Very, very wrong.

I kissed her deeply, in awe of the feel of her in my hand, and fighting hard against my urge to simply bury myself in her. She was driving me insane, as usual. I slid my hands back down her body, resting it on the small of her back. She whimpered and pressed her hips against mine insistently.

Oh, yeah. I remembered that night not too long ago when I'd explored the small of her back, and the desperate way she'd rubbed against me, eyes dark and full of things I hadn't quite recognized yet. Now I did.

"Do you like this, darlin'?" I demonstrated by rubbing circles into her back, and feeling her moan and arch into me again.

"Ohhh, yes," she sighed. "Jasper, you'd better intend on finishing what you started, or else stop that right now," she warned.

I attacked her neck with my lips, teeth, and tongue, and then increased the pace of my hands on her back. The effect was immediate. I knew that her back was sensitive, and that I'd somehow awakened some fire in her when I stroked the soft skin there, but I had no idea just how intensely she felt it.

"Oh, God, Jasper," she moaned. "Don't stop." She bucked her hips against me, harder this time, clearly searching for a release. Was I willing to give it to her?

All it took for me was the look in her eyes, and the decision was made. I needed her just as much as she needed me. It was becoming more and more difficult to ignore the throbbing, aching need I felt for her. I found myself flipping her onto her back.

She was so beautiful. Her hazel eyes were dark and hooded with desire, eying me hungrily. Her lips were pink and swollen from my mouth, her nipples eagerly pressing against her shirt. God, I couldn't say no to her anymore. I couldn't hold back. I wanted her. _Needed her._ And I knew she felt the same way.

"Jasper, please," she whimpered.

I leaned forward to capture her lips again, and settled between her legs, which she had eagerly parted for me. Shit. I could feel how hot and ready she really was between the thin layers of our clothes. With each passing minute, it was getting harder and harder not to progress this. I played with the hem of her shirt, and she sat up to help me rid her of it.

I had seen Alice in bikinis a million times. She and Rose were obsessed with the things, running around in the sprinklers in them when we were kids, tanning in the back yard when we got older, swimming in nearby creeks and rivers. Nothing new. But seeing Alice in a bra, a faint blush of arousal painting her chest and cheeks, was an entirely different story.

"I love you," she whispered, breaking my reverie. In the last few days since we got together… since the night I finally got my head out of my ass and realized just how I felt for her… it seemed like we were both incapable of stopping those words. It was almost like a mantra, as if we were trying to convince ourselves that it was real, and prove to each other that we really meant it.

"I love you, too," I promised, and lowered my body against hers, feeling the lacy cups of her bra brush against me. It was itchy; I wanted it gone.

If her weakness was her lower back, mine was the back of my neck, and she knew it. Her tiny fingers rubbed tiny circles across my sensitive skin, and I wanted to whimper. So I did. "Alice, you're killing me."

"Right back atcha," she said with a wink. I kissed down her neck, savoring each sigh and whimper that escaped her lips, and I nibbled and nipped at her skin, past her collarbone, licking a line down her chest just above the cups of her bra.

"Ohh," she sighed, arching towards me. My dick was having issues with being clothed and kept away from her now. It was literally straining towards her, trying to escape my shorts.

Alice's hands weren't much help, either. She was playing with my hair, and then gripping my shoulders, then trailing down my sides, then back to my neck… It was torturing me.

I continued to kiss down her body, dipping my tongue into her belly button, unable to help myself. Her hips bucked against my face as I kissed across her hips. I sat up, making sure she was just as ready for this as I was. She was currently rubbing her own clothed breast in the palm of her hand. Her eyes were stormy, and I could feel the lust and heat radiating off of her. Yeah, she was ready. I wasn't going to take this all the way, not yet, but I was more than ready to amp things up a bit. I was tired of being the guy who kept being all moral and noble, trying to be a gentleman when really all I wanted to do was rip off all her clothes and fuck her until neither of us could remember our own names.

Her skirt had bunched up around her waist, and I could see that her panties were damp. Fuck, they matched her bra. I was a goner.

I searched for her mouth again, needing to reassure her with my lips that this meant more than a grope and feel-up. She knew.

"Jasper, please," she gasped when I broke away. "I want you to feel me." I cupped her through her panties, and her eyes rolled up into the back of her head. "Not enough," she muttered.

"Demanding," I teased, and gently and slowly pulled aside her panties, feeling her slick folds against my fingers for the first time. "Ohhhh, fuck," I groaned. It was too much. I was going to spontaneously combust, I knew it. She was so _hot _and so _wet. _

"Please," she moaned. "I want to feel you inside me."

I kissed her deeply, unable to speak, and slowly eased one finger inside her. Oh, shit. She was _tight. _She whimpered and pulled me closer. I added another finger and pressed even further… until I felt a barrier.

My eyes flew wide open in shock, and I pulled away fast and unthinking. "Oh shit!" I couldn't hold the words back. "Alice, you didn't tell me…"

"What? What?" she said, sitting up, looking sexy as fuck, and definitely not as innocent as she really was. "What's wrong, honey?"

I couldn't put the words together coherently in my head. "I- You- and it's- and you're-"

She looked like she was going to cry. "What did I do wrong, Jasper?" she whispered, and there were definite tears forming in her beautiful wide eyes.

I took a deep breath and ran my hand through her beautiful hair. I hadn't told her yet, but I thought her new hair was sexy as hell. "Why didn't you tell me you were a virgin?"

A tear slipped down her cheek. "I thought you knew."

"No! I definitely did not. You're… you, Alice, how could you still be… a…"

"What, is it a bad thing?" she snapped. "Is it like some sort of disease?"

_Fuck, _no it wasn't, but I didn't want to admit to her that her virginity was probably the sexiest thing I'd ever heard of. Forget the need I felt before, this was utterly painful. _Mine, _I thought greedily and selfishly. And then I realized she was still crying, probably interpreting my silence as confirmation of her freakishness.

"Baby, no, it's not a bad thing, it just surprises me, that's all. I guess I assumed…"

"That I was a slut?" Her voice was short and cutting.

"NO! Dammit, just listen to me! Alice, you're not a slut. I know that. You're the most amazing girl I've ever known in my life. And I assumed that other guys would see that, too." I stroked her cheek. For the first time, it seemed like she wanted to pull away.

"Do you _realize _why I'm a virgin, Jasper? Has that even entered into your tiny little brain? Why this might be incredibly meaningful for me?"

I was speechless again. Was she saying what I think she was saying? She looked furious now, pulling her skirt down and jumping off the couch to pace in front of me. I tried to ignore the fact that when she crossed her arms, her modest cleavage was enhanced, plump and inviting.

"Jasper, I've already told you I've loved you all my life."

"I know," I said softly. "I love you, too."

"Yes, I know you do. _Now._ But before, you weren't _in love _with me like I was with you. So you went out and did what normal people our age did. You dated, you fooled around, you lost your virginity, you went to college, slept around a few times, found a girlfriend and boinked her the rest of the time." I tried not to laugh as she said _boinked. _

"And what do you think I was doing? Waiting. Waiting for _you._ No matter how many times I tried to forget you, or at least move on, I couldn't, and if that was just when I was kissing a guy, do you think I could have actually had sex with a guy that wasn't you? Hell no! It wasn't right, my heart-"

I jumped off the couch and grabbed her in my arms, silencing her with a kiss. At first, she was limp in my arms, surprised and still mid-sentence. But within seconds she was wrapping her arms around me and holding on tight. God, it felt good to kiss her.

"You really waited for me?" I asked, incredulous.

She blushed. "Yeah… It just wasn't right with anyone else. I never wanted anyone but you, Jasper."

I knew that that should have freaked me out somehow. But it didn't. It couldn't. It was probably the sexiest thing she could have ever said to me. If it was possible, I wanted her more. I pulled her tiny body to mine and kissed her eagerly, fighting with myself to drag her upstairs to my room so we could "seal the deal" so to speak.

But no. Once again, I had to be the jerk and pull back. "Well, now it _really _has to be perfect," I said, lightly teasing.

She pushed her bottom lip out, giving me the most enticing and simultaneously adorable pout known to man. She used that on me a little too often and I'd be putty in her hands.

"You're too much of a gentleman," she protested.

I crooked an eyebrow at her, a slow grin spreading across my face. I felt her shiver in my arms. "Oh really now?"

"Mmm hmm," she said.

"Do gentlemen finger you and nearly bring you to orgasm?"

She shivered again. "I wasn't that close, don't be so arrogant."

I had to laugh at that. "Have you ever had an orgasm, Alice?"

She nodded, eyes hooded again.

"Have you ever had an orgasm from anyone's hands besides your own?"

She shook her head, biting her lip.

_Fuuuuuck me._

"What if I had never come around?" I teased, cupping her ass in my hands. "What would you have done?"

"What I've always done," she whispered into my ear. Her breath spiked against my neck and my body went into a shock wave. "Taken things into my own hands."

The images that bombarded my head were like sin. "Fuck," I groaned. "Just… fuck."

She giggled. She might have been a virgin, but she knew exactly what she was doing to me. Maybe there was some sort of manual telling women how to drive men insane. Or maybe that was just Alice, designed specifically to bring me to my knees.

"You're in my hands now," I declared. "Do you want me to make you cum, Alice?"

"You keep talking like that, looking the way you do, and you won't have to do much else. I'll have no other choice," she said, and naturally, my ego soared. She rubbed up against me to prove her point.

"Yeah, well, you keep doing that and we're going to have a mess here," I half-joked.

"I did that to you," she said in awe. "I made you-"

I laughed. "Are you kidding me? I've been walking around with this monster in my pants since I woke up next to you that one day," I told her. "I'm not quite sure how you missed it."

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped in shock. I tried not to think dirty things about that. Later. "Really?" she whispered. "That long?"

I nodded, and the next thing I knew, she was smacking me across the back of my head. Oww.

"What the HELL?!" she exclaimed. "Do you mean to tell me that I've been turning you on for _weeks, _and you didn't have the common courtesy to let me in on it? I could've helped you out, you know."

"You could have, but would it have been as meaningful as it is now?" I challenged.

"Good point," she grumbled. "But still…"

"Don't be mad at me," I said, kissing her before she could protest. "I was busy falling in love with you."

She sighed. "I suppose I could forgive you then."

"Good, I'm glad."

"Can I help you now?" She seemed incredibly eager, and my dick liked it.

"I thought I was helping you."

"Oh," she said, blushing, "right."

"We don't have to do anything you don't want now," I promised. "I'm not going to push you into anything, especially now."

"No, I want-"

We were interrupted by both our cell phones ringing. Why, at this critical moment in my life, was the fucking thing not on silent or at the very least vibrate? _Fuck._

Alice and I pulled apart. If _both _our phones were ringing, that could mean something was up, something important. As much as I wanted to ignore it, I couldn't.

Alice too looked confused. "Who do you suppose?" She walked to the pool table where we'd stashed our stuff and grabbed both phones, handing mine to me. "It's Rose," she said, sounding just as worried as I felt.

I didn't recognize the number on my phone, which only served to increase my panic. What was wrong? What had happened? I tried not to think about all the terrible things that it could be. Surely it wasn't the cops…

"Hello?" I said hesitantly.

"Jasper, my man!" a hearty voice boomed. "What's up?"

"Fuck you, Emmett, I thought someone had died!" I was incredibly relieved, and also incredibly pissed off at the moment. Alice had the same look on her face.

"Jesus, calm down, everything's fine. Fiiiiine," he said in a sing-song voice.

"Then why the fuck are you calling me at," I looked at the clock on the wall, "2:15 in the morning?"

"Well here's the thing," Emmett slurred. He was definitely drunk, which meant that Rosalie probably was, too. "We can't get home."

"Oh, pray tell why," I said sarcastically.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, man, aren't you getting laid?"

"Shut the fuck up, Emmett." I hadn't known him long, but I knew that he had no filter when he was sober, which meant drunk Emmett was far more verbose than anyone ever needed to be.

"We need a ride. We're both kinda smashed… especially my Rosie girl here… and we need some help."

"Just walk home."

"We can't. We're in Portland."

"PORTLAND?!?!" I think a blood vessel just burst in my head. "Why didn't you tell us you were going to Portland?"

"Whoa, whoa, dude, just chillax." Was he ever a frat boy? I'm pretty sure he'd have to be with a vocabulary like that. "We wanted some of these doughnuts, some really fucking amazing doughnuts, and then we were at this club, and there were these drag queens everywhere… and I thought one was Rosie, and I kissed him… Yeah, Rosie wasn't too happy about that. But they're both blonde. Anyways…"

"So you want me to drive to Portland to come get you? Now? Why can't you get a hotel and sleep it off?"

"Well see that's the thing, my wallet got stolen…"

Fuck, this story was getting more and more ridiculous as time went on. Were I not incredibly sexually frustrated and pissed off, this whole thing might actually be funny.

"Are you sure you're not just high?" I asked, and both Emmett and Alice laughed at that. She was already off the phone.

"I'm a COP, Jasper, a fucking COP. I don't smoke WEED, or POT, or," he whispered, "_marijuana_. I just drank too much, and now I'm broke and stuck in some stupid town I don't know," he whined. "If you're not going to get us, can you tell me of someone I could crash with? Anyone?"

Alice was watching me, looking terribly amused about this entire exchange. And she was only hearing my end of the conversation. I'm sure hearing both of us would have her in tears, laughing so hard. I pretended to glare at her.

"Um, I have a friend named Peter, he's from Forks originally, actually, and he lives downtown with his girlfriend… but I'm not sure-"

"Can I have his number? I'll be, like, forever in your gratitude, man. I think Rose would kick my ass if we had to sleep in the car."

I sighed heavily. "Fine." I gave him the information, already calculating thank you gifts for Peter and Charlotte. A lot of booze, many different types, perhaps… They'd need it after dealing with a drunk Emmett and bitchy Rosalie.

A few minutes later Emmett had hung up on me with Peter's cell number in hand, but not before whispering "The magic is in the hole," and giggling like a little girl.

"I'm gonna kill Emmett," I growled. "I can't believe he'd put Rose in that position."

Alice snorted. "Are you kidding? She's having the best night of her life. Did you know Emmett made out with a guy in drag at Darcelles?"

"He mentioned it," I grumbled. I wasn't amused, at least not right at this moment. Tomorrow, I'd laugh. Tonight… I was getting blue balls.

"Aww, baby, you look sleepy," Alice said, brushing my hair back from my face. "Do you want to go to bed?"

"Will you come with me?"

"Where else would I go?" she whispered, and I wasn't entirely sure she meant for me to hear it, but it made a warm, happy feeling spread throughout my body. "Come on," she said in a normal tone, giving me a smile.

I followed, because really, where else would _I _go?

**A/N II: I'm from Oregon, and spend a lot of time in Portland, especially since my sister moved there in June to go to PSU (where Jasper also goes to school in this fic). Voodoo Donuts and Darcelle's are very real places, and part of what makes Portland so awesome. "The Magic is in the Hole" is from Voodoo, so that's totally their trademark, nothing witty I came up with. It seems like something Emmett would laugh at, doesn't it?? I know I laugh. Please review!!! :-)**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: So, you guys are probably wanting to kill me by now, and may even be comparing Jasper to canon Edward right about now, but I swear, he isn't. Jasper tries to explain himself here... and I hope it all makes sense to you. Also, please stop asking me to make them have sex now. I realize that that's how it goes a lot of the time, but this is a different circumstance than if they'd met in that bar and kissed for the first time, you know? Trust me please! It WILL happen, I promise! And, actual plot will be coming, but I thought this was important for them to go through first before moving on as a couple. Long ass A/N, I know, but I felt like it had to be said. Thanks to EVERYONE who has taken the time to review, and to everyone who reads this, it seriously rocks my socks!!! :-) Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being super speedy. ;-)**

**Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot is mine.**

I was hot. More importantly, a certain part of my anatomy was hot. And _wet. _What the hell? My eyes popped open, momentarily blinded by the morning sun, and could have sworn I was hallucinating. After all, Alice couldn't possibly be kneeling over me, the tip of my cock held fast between her pink lips, her tiny hands stroking me up and down, feather light and probably hesitant.

I groaned, willing this dream to continue, on and on. I'd happily live in this dream.

"Are you awake?" Alice asked softly, my cock still held in her grasp. She was getting more and more firm with her grip, and I liked it. I liked it a lot.

"I'm not sure," I said, voice still thick with sleep.

She reached up and pinched my bicep. "OWW!" I shouted. Okay, apparently I wasn't dreaming… and I was waking up to the best reality _ever._

She smirked at me and attempted to deep throat me. She sat back up, spluttering and blinking hard and repeatedly. "Oh shit!" she gasped.

I gathered her into my arms. "Alice, what are you doing? Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry, I wanted you to feel good," she said, bottom lip jutting out. "And I've never done this before. I'm sorry…"

I kissed her, ignoring my own taste on her lips. "You didn't have to do that," I said. "Not if you're not ready-"

"But I AM!" she said, looking like she wanted to cry. "I'm pretty sure I've made that pretty clear to you, Jasper. I'm ready for it _all. _I love you. I'm ready."

Wow. Alice was always intense, but usually not this early in the morning, and it was a difficult thing to wrap around my head any time of the day. I had been so blind throughout our friendship. Even in the last few weeks, when we'd been closer than ever, I still had never realized how she felt about me. I should have seen it in her eyes or felt it in her touch or all those other clichéd things, but really I was clueless. I had been too preoccupied with my own new, overwhelming thoughts about the girl I'd always considered family. She was still family, but in a whole new way… in the partnership way, in the whole "let's make a family together" kind of way. Which was probably the single most terrifying and wonderful thought I'd ever had.

_Calm the fuck down, Jasper. It's only been a week._

I kissed her, to try to calm her nerves, and make my own stop vibrating with need.

"Can I show you?"

"What?" Her eyes were still unfocused from our kiss.

"How to touch me." Her eyes widened in shock. "If you want."

"Of course I want to," she whispered. "Please show me, Jasper."

She stroked her hands up and down, making me pant hard. "Harder," I said, trying not to sound too demanding. "Please."

Alice pumped me harder, her bottom lip captured between her teeth, concentrating. She was beautiful, and not just because of what she was doing for me, although that didn't hurt. She was nearly angelic, the way her bedhead was like a halo around her head, the way her legs spread apart to kneel close to my body, the way her hands felt against me, soft and small and oh so innocent.

"Harder," I prompted, and thrust my hips against her hand. One hand gripped my shaft, while the other traced circles around the head, just under the ridge. "Oh God," I moaned. She was a fast learner. Now if she would only add her mouth… but I didn't want to push her.

As if she could read my thoughts, Alice lowered her head and slipped me back inside her mouth, still stroking the rest of me, running her fingers up and down the flesh as she hollowed out her cheeks. I fought with myself not to thrust into her mouth. She wasn't ready, and I had to hold out just a little bit longer, to feel her talented mouth explore me some more. "Fuck," I moaned.

She released me with a slight sucking sound, and then ran her tongue down to the base of my cock, licking me almost like a popsicle or something. It made me want to laugh, but then she cupped my balls in her hand and nothing was funny.

"Careful," I gasped, and then moaned as she rolled them gently in her palm, flicking the head of my cock with the tip of her tongue. "Oh, shit, Alice," I groaned. "I'm close, honey." I tugged on her shoulder, trying to push her off me, and she continued pumping me in her hand as she leaned forward to kiss me roughly, milking every last drop out of me before I had to push her off, too sensitive to carry on.

I continued kissing her, silently thanking her, as she rested her hand on my stomach and purred in contentment. Yeah, she fucking purred, and I loved it.

"Was that okay?" she asked as I pulled back.

I stared at her like she was insane. "For your first time? For _any time?_ Fuck yes, that was okay. More than okay." I kissed her again, and would have rolled her onto her back had my abdomen not been covered in my own mess.

"Mmm, I made you cum," she said happily.

I laughed. "Hell yes you did."

"I like it when you curse," she said, practically reading my thoughts, hopping off the bed and grabbing a towel out of the bathroom. "It means that you're passionate about something."

"Does it?" I cleaned off Alice's hand first, taking my time to gently wipe away any trace of my arousal, and then wiped myself clean.

She nodded. "It's always been like that."

"You know, I feel like I really ought to be creeped out by how well you know me," I said.

"If you were any other girl, I might have called the cops."

She stuck her tongue out at me, and I was tempted to suck it back into my mouth. So I did. She whimpered in surprise, and then eagerly returned my kiss, squealing into my mouth as I rolled her onto her back. She was wearing more clothes than I wanted her to be.

"How would you feel if I took this off?" I asked, toying with the hem of her shirt.

She grinned at me, eyes hooding slightly. "I'd feel very good about that, and ask you to take off my panties as well."

I moaned into her neck. "Alice, you're not-"

She grew still in my arms, completely frozen beneath me. Shit. I could feel her hands pushing against me, trying to get me to move off of her. I rolled off, not wanting to make her even more angry at me.

"Don't. Tell. Me. What. I'm. Ready. For." she said between gritted teeth. "You have no right."

"Alice-"

"NO!" she shouted, tears clearly falling down her cheeks. My heart broke to see them.

"You don't get time to explain. I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it. I LOVE YOU, and I don't want to hear you say that I can't possibly know that, that I don't know what is in my own heart, what my body does or does not need. I need you, and if you can't see that, then I don't know what to tell you."

My mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she stormed out of her bedroom, still wearing my T-shirt like a dress around her tiny body.

It wasn't that I didn't want her. Oh, God, I wanted her. It was all I could do not to roll over and push myself inside her. Not to make her mine, completely and wholly. Not to end her innocence. The fantasies alone were killing me, taunting me.

I just didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for. She was a virgin, and I was terrified I'd… break her… somehow. She was so tiny and fragile looking. My baby sis- NO! Definitely not that. And yet, wasn't that how I viewed her until a very short amount of time, and maybe just a little bit longer if I were completely honest with myself?

Yet she says she's ready, she's willing and warm and I can't think when she begs me like this.

She was right, and I knew it. I didn't have the right to tell her what she was ready for or not. I needed to put my faith in her. She'd never been wrong about anything that I was aware of. She was my little fortune teller, and she'd never steered me wrong in the past.

I got up and walked down the stairs. I could smell coffee; she was in the kitchen. She was also talking to someone on the phone.

"No, he's being a complete ass," she said, and I knew I was the ass she was referring to. I hung my head, and made the decision to be even more of an ass and listen in on her conversation. I was going to hell anyway, right?

"No, he won't budge. It's like he's terrified to touch me now. Although, he didn't mind when _I _touched _him,_" she said sarcastically. Ouch. She was right. I deserved more than "ass." I was… yeah. A fucking bastard.

She was right, one hundred percent. I was a fucking asshole who took advantage of her willingness, but couldn't find it in me to return the favor. I thought I was being a good guy… yeah, not so much.

"I just don't know how this is going to work out if he refuses to see me was a woman. A woman who fucking needs to be fucked." She was quiet for a moment. "I know you don't want to hear this about your brother but-"

Shit, she was talking to Rose. As if I needed her in on this crap. Even if we got this straightened out, she'd always know forever everything about my sex life, and that just wasn't something that needed to be shared.

"Rose, knock it off. I hear about you and Em all the time, you think I wanna hear about all the kinky shit you two pull?" She was sounding angry, and I felt bad that I was the cause of all of this.

"Fine, whatever, don't listen, I don't care. I gotta go, I'm pretty sure the fucker is standing outside the door right now, listening."

Shit. See, she knew everything. No hiding from her.

"Jasper, get your ass in here," she shouted. "I know you're out there."

I drew in a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. Alice had her hands on her hips, and looked so fucking sexy, I wondered how in the hell I'd been able to keep my hands off of her until this point.

"So you think you can reject me and then listen in on my private conversations in my own home?" Her mouth was set in a hard line.

"It's not like you were silent on the issue," I muttered, and regretted it.

"Fuck you, Jasper, you know that? Just… fuck you. You say you love me, and then you do this? Why aren't I enough?" Why was I always making her cry? It hurt to see.

"You are, of course you are. Do you have any idea how bad I want you? But do you think it's easy for me to just go from nothing to everything with you? And God forbid I try to treat you with a little respect-"

"Don't you dare talk to me about respect after you let me touch you, let me be intimate with you before letting me off nice and easy? Fuck you."

She was leaning against the counter of her kitchen, and I'd never seen her look so vulnerable and angry before. Her eyes were full of fire, and what I suspected to be lust, from the way she was eyeing me in my boxers. She still wasn't invulnerable to me, just as I was affected by her. But we had to deal with this first.

"I want to be with you, Alice. But I have always been your protector, you know? I'm not saying I have _any _sisterly feelings for you, hell no, but I still have the inherent need to protect you, take care of you. And I want you so bad it scares me. I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh my GOD!" she shrieked, throwing her hands in the air. "Suddenly, I relate to Bella really well. I'm shocked that you and Edward didn't get along better, you're exactly the same! I don't get it! You're a guy, aren't you supposed to be pawing at me right now? Fuck…"

I had no idea what Bella and Edward had to do with anything, they seemed to be healthily attracted to each other, if what I witnessed at the bar was any indication.

"I just don't understand," she finally said.

I took a step forward, and when she didn't react, I took another and another until I was standing right in front of her.

"I want you so bad, it aches," I said, completely honest. "And I'm just trying to be a good guy."

"I don't want you to be good," she mumbled.

"I don't want to be good anymore, either," I said. "Compromise?"

"How?" She finally looked up at me, and for once, her eyes weren't full of tears. I sighed in relief. She looked curious.

"Well… let's take it slow. We _both _need to be ready when I- when we finally… are together."

"So you mean… like… we'll fool around and stuff?" She had an incredibly hopeful look in her eyes. "And then we'll have sex, right?"

I had to laugh at her eagerness. "Oh yeah," I said.

"But for my end of the bargain, it can't be _too _long. You can't pull this 'you're not ready' crap. If I say I'm ready, trust that I mean it. Because believe me, I'm more than ready. Right now, I'm more than ready…"

My eyes bugged out of my head, and she giggled. She leaned forward and kissed me, wrapping me completely in her. Yeah, I was hers, totally and completely. My hands ran and up and down her sides, loathing the endless fabric that kept her form completely from me, even if it was sexy as hell that she was wearing my clothes. I could feel her nipples harden against my chest.

Alice took my hand, and guided it down her body, down to her center. It was soaking wet and radiating heat. "Oh, shit, Alice," I moaned.

"Touch me," she sighed.

"Now? Here?"

"Right here, right now," she affirmed, looking me in the eye, challenging me to reject her again. Like hell I would do that.

I rubbed her over her panties, feeling the dampness and readiness. She moved towards me, encouraging my movements.

"More," she sighed. Her head tilted to the side, and I could see her pulse jumping in her throat, and I leaned forward to kiss the pulse point. I scraped my teeth against it, and she reached up to grab my shoulders, anchoring herself to me. I rubbed harder, faster, and heard her breath pick up. "Please, more," she sighed.

I did the only thing I knew to do, the only thing I was capable of at the moment. I pushed her panties aside and thrust in one finger, perhaps a bit too roughly, but Alice didn't complain. She bucked her hips against my hand, and I ground my palm against her clit.

"Oh, Jasper," she moaned. I was rock hard at each gasp and sigh, but this was about her pleasure. I added another finger, and thrust them hard inside her, hearing her whimper.

"Are you okay?"

"Don't you _dare _stop," she threatened, but it held no power behind it, as if I were inclined to stop anyway. Not likely. She was going to get her release. I would make sure of that.

I kissed her in response, matching the thrusts of my tongue with the thrusts of my fingers. She tensed around my fingers, signaling the signs of her orgasm.

I pulled her closer to me, and circled her clit with my thumb, feeling her shake apart at my efforts. Just a few more circular motions, and she was clenching around my fingers, and I swallowed her moans with a kiss.

She fell limply against me, and I withdrew my fingers reluctantly. I couldn't help myself, and licked my fingers clean, moaning at her sweet taste. Her eyes widened in shock, and I could tell that there were a lot of things we'd do together that would shock and surprise her… and I liked that idea.

"Thank you," she sighed. "That was amazing."

"And those were just my fingers," I said cockily, and she smacked me against the arm.

"You're too full of yourself," she said. "Always have been."

"That's why you love me."

"No, I love you despite of that."

I laughed. "What do you say we have some breakfast, and maybe go for a ride?"

She grinned. "That sounds like a most excellent plan to me. Where do you wanna go?"

"Baby, I don't care, as long as you're there with me."

"Aww, you're sweet. Corny, but sweet."


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: Sorry this is so late to be posted; my sister got H1N1, and I had to go into self-imposed exile at my grandparents house for a few days... therefore, no updates. Although this does mean I have the next chapter all written. :-) Thanks as always to LittleLea05, she rocks!!!**

**If you've got Twitter, follow me: LisaHR79. Just be prepared, I get kinda raunchy at times with my BFFF'ers!!!! Love those girls. :-D**

**Disclaimer: Only the plot belongs to me, the rest is SM's. Lucky bitch. ;-)**

I'd never seen Alice draw the way she seemed to now. I'd always known she liked to sketch, and always enjoyed the handmade birthday cards she gave me each year, each an Alice Brandon original. She was always doodling on scratch pieces of paper, each one a random masterpiece, and though I'd never seen her paint, I'd seen the finished product and always been amazed.

Ever since we'd been together, she was always drawing. Right now, for instance, she was leaning back on the couch, her feet in my lap as we watched TV together, and her brow was furrowed in concentration, her fingers flying across the pad of paper. It was adorable how she caught her bottom lip in between her teeth and bit down gently, and every once in a while, her tongue would dart out.

It shouldn't have made me hard, but it did.

"What are you drawing?" I asked, genuinely curious. Though she drew in front of me a lot, it was rare when she showed me a final piece. It was kind of annoying, and it made me wonder what she was drawing. Half of me was scared she was drawing my genitalia, or worse, someone else's. Pulling a Georgia O'Keefe on me or something.

"Nothing," she said quickly, her hands barely pausing over the page.

"Alice, you always say nothing, but I figure you're not just scribbling over here. Why can't I see?" I gave her my best pouting look.

"It's embarrassing," she said, and genuinely blushed. I loved it when she did that. It wasn't often, but she looked beautiful when she did.

"How is it embarrassing? I'm sure it's beautiful." _Please don't let it be my dick. That would just be plain weird._

Her blush went even deeper. "It's… personal. And I'm not sure you'd entirely appreciate it."

Oh God, it was my cock. It had to be. Otherwise, she'd show me.

"Alice, I appreciate everything you do," I said, although now I was wary. "Please show me."

She sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Well no, not really. But I want to see anyway." My curiosity was piqued, and now I had to know, phallic objects or not.

"Fine," she said, sighing again and turning the charcoal drawing towards me.

"Alice," I gasped. "It's beautiful." I really meant it, too.

The drawing itself was dark, expertly shaded with Alice's gentle and skilled hands. But between this darkness was _us. _A man and a woman entwined in the center, clearly naked, and clearly making love. There was light emanating, seemingly from nowhere, but it was clear that the light was shining from them like a beacon. They were the light in the darkness. _We _were the light in the darkness.

"It's not quite done yet," she said quietly. "I haven't quite got the shading done on the woman, and the hair isn't right on the man…"

"It's perfect," I said, and caught her head in my hand, tracing her jaw with my thumb. "It's amazing."

She blushed again. "Thank you."

"Why were you embarrassed to show me this?"

A guilty looking expression flickered across her face. "I figured you'd recognize the… uh… subjects."

"Oh, I did. I think you got the hands right especially," I lightly teased, trying to let her know that I hadn't freaked out over her drawing.

"Well, I happen to be a big fan of your hands, as it so happens," she said, smiling now, and took my hand in her charcoal stained ones.

"Oh yeah?" I could tell that my voice had dropped an octave.

She nodded heartily. "So you like it?" she asked, nodding to the picture again.

"I love it."

"Maybe I'll frame it for you. You can take it with you to PSU to remember me by."

I chuckled. "My roommates will thank me endlessly. You've given yourself quite the generous rack there."

She smacked me, smudging my shirt. "Some gentleman you are, calling it a rack… I outta tell your momma on you!"

"You wouldn't dare! Cuz then you'd have to explain how I knew the difference," I smirked.

"Yeah, like you've even seen them up close and personal," she snapped back, and I wanted to recoil. She was right. She'd been trying to get me to move on in our physical relationship, but so far fingering and fondling over the clothes was as far as we'd gotten, which didn't really make sense in the big scheme of things, and it angered Alice, but it was what I felt comfortable with. Her being naked just made it too real.

I think I needed a healthy dose of reality now.

"Alice," I said softly.

"What?" she snapped, clearly agitated.

"Is that a situation you'd like me to rectify now?"

She visibly gulped. "Really?" she whispered.

"Really."

"I thought it was weird for you if I was naked," she said. "I thought you didn't-"

"Alice, there's nothing I want more," I whispered, and it was true. My hands were itching to feel her bare skin against my palms, to feel her nipples harden beneath my touch, to run my hands up and down her supple body, feeling the goosebumps that would rise there.

Her eyes darkened, and her breath hitched. Beautiful. Every day I was with her, I couldn't help but mentally kick myself for not realizing sooner how perfect she truly was.

"Alice, I love you," I said, putting all the truth and passion behind my words. "I will do anything to be with you. I'm sorry I have to ask you to be so patient with me…"

"It's worth the wait," she said quietly. "You've always been worth the wait, Jasper."

"I don't deserve you," I said, cupping her face in my hands. She leaned into my touch.

"No, you really don't," she laughed. "But I'll take you anyway."

I crushed my lips to hers, and she whimpered into my mouth with surprise. Her hands instantly wound themselves into my hair, and I secretly kind of liked that she would be smudging my neck and hair with her charcoal stained hands. It was her own unique way of marking me. Our lips greedily met over and over, and I gently pushed back her shoulders until I was lying above her, our hips greeting each other eagerly.

I really had to stop this hot and cold game I was playing. It didn't make either of us feel good, and I was tired of denying myself and Alice.

My hands boldly moved up her body, dragging the material of her shirt up with it. God, her skin was so soft. Her body arched towards me, and she moaned throatily into my mouth. Her hands were everywhere, and our hips moved steadily against each other, seeking friction, needing more, always more.

"Jasper," she whispered between kisses. "Touch me, baby."

I nibbled at her lip, and gripped her hips tightly. The urge to take was strong.

"Jasper, we're home and- Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I didn't know Maria was here!" my mother said, flipping the lights on and off, and slinking out of the room before Alice and I even had the chance to break apart.

Alice's eyes were wide with fear and surprise. "Oh God!" she exclaimed, pulling away and pushing her shirt back down. "Oh God, oh God…"

"Shit," I muttered. I hadn't gotten around to telling my folks that Maria and I were history, let alone about Alice and me. Fuck.

"You didn't tell her?!" Alice said, biting her lip. "Why didn't you tell her?!"

"They weren't exactly home all the time," I said, though it was a poor excuse. "And I wasn't sure if you were ready to tell." As far as I knew, only Rose, Emmett, Bella and Edward were aware of our newfound relationship.

She sighed heavily. "What are we going to do?"

"Be honest?" It came out like a question. Did she want to tell our parents yet? I may have given up on my baby sister thoughts, but I knew my parents thought of her as their own daughter. I doubted they would be supportive of our relationship such as it was now. At the very least they would be weirded out by it, especially given the heated nature of our embrace.

She bit her lip, a habit she'd recently picked up. It was slightly adorable, but mostly I worried about how it would dry out her bottom lip. I didn't want her to bleed. Her lips were perfectly kissable just as they were now.

"I guess we can tell them," she said quietly. "But you have to tell them it is most definitely over with Maria now."

"They'll be happy about that, I think," I said. "My mom never took to Maria. Rose liked her fine and all, and my dad thought she was pretty, but they were never huge fans of her."

Alice winced as I said that Maria was pretty. Shit.

"Baby, they already love you. I'm sure that we have nothing to worry about whatsoever. My mom will probably cry or something."

"You sure?"

"Yes," I said, now fully confident. My mind was made up. "Yes, we're going to tell them. I'm not ashamed of what we have together. I love you, and I don't see that changing any time soon. In fact, I never see that changing. I will always love you, Alice, and I want everyone to know it. I don't give a flying fuck what they think. I. Love. You."

Her mouth was wide open with shock, opening and closing in random intervals. I was sure she had a million words to say, but couldn't find the voice for them. So she used the next best tool at her disposal. She leapt into my arms, straddling my waist, kissing my face, darting from my forehead to the corner of my mouth, to underneath my jaw, to my nose.

"Jazz, I love you so much," she kept saying over and over. I laughed and simply held on as she placed kisses all over, and finally landing on my mouth, giving a chaste but excited kiss. "Let's go tell them," she said, gasping for breath.

She hopped up off my lap, and held out her hand expectantly. I took it, and she guided me into the kitchen, where my parents were unloading bags of groceries. Their luggage was still laying in the living room.

"Hi Mrs. Hale, Mr. Hale," Alice said cheerily. Either my declaration had inspired her, or she was putting on a brave face. Either way, she was going at this full throttle. "How was your vacation?"

"Lovely dear, just lovely," my mom said with a confused look on her face. "Uh, Jasper, I thought Maria was here." She looked pointedly at our joined hands, and disorderly appearances, a clear look of puzzlement on her face.

"Nope," I said, matching Alice's enthusiasm. "Just us." I wound my arm around Alice to prove my point.

Now it was my mother's turn to gape at me. My dad kept putting away groceries, clearly oblivious to what I had just implied, or probably what was going on period. He was more concerned with where the olives went; next to the canned peaches, or the green beans?

"Wha- I mean. How, I mean, who, I mean, WHAT?!" my mother sputtered. "What about _Maria?_" she added in a hushed tone, clearly meant for me, but not so quiet that Alice couldn't hear.

"She's not in the picture anymore," I said firmly. "She will never be back."

My mom's shoulders sank in what I took to be relief. She really hadn't been a big admirer of Maria to begin with, though I wasn't sure why. "That's good. She always seemed… phony to me somehow. Not the right girl for you. But when did _this _happen, then?" she said, gesturing to Alice and I.

"A few weeks after I ended it with Maria," I said honestly. "I love her."

My mom gasped.

"And I love him, Mrs. Hale, though it's safe to say I took the plunge long before he did."

She grinned, and I squeezed her shoulder, kissing the top of her head.

My mom stared at us, and my dad acted oblivious to the entire conversation, as usual. It almost made me want to laugh, but I held it in.

"You're in _love_?" She asked incredulously. "As in, _in love _in love?"

"Yes," we said in almost unison, and then grinned at each other.

"Well…" My mom was speechless again.

"Yeah, so, uh… we'll let that sink in for a bit, and we'll be going," Alice said, tugging on my hand. I could feel my mom's eyes staring us down from the back of our heads, incredulous and unbelieving. She wasn't upset, I could tell, but it wasn't something she'd get used to overnight either.

I followed Alice out of my house, and we kept walking silently until we were at her house, which was, naturally, empty. There were times when I was annoyed that her parents were always gone, and then times where it was extremely convenient, like now.

"Well, that went well," I said, slight sarcasm in my voice.

"Could've gone worse," she agreed, and sighed as she plopped on her couch. "I mean, she didn't seem to hate the idea, just shocked."

"Well can you blame her? I mean, we did kind of spring it on her, seemingly from nowhere."

"Yeah, I guess so. It's not like I talked about my feelings for you to anyone except for Rose. I talked her ear off about it for ages."

"Poor girl," I teased.

She sighed again. Apparently, she was full of sighs today.

"C'mere, baby," I said, and held my arms open to her. She immediately curled up into my arms, wrapping her tiny arms around me. She felt so right here. Her warm body was so perfect in mine, as if we were created to fit together this way. I could hold her for the rest of eternity and be completely content. I rested my cheek on the top of her head. Her hair smelled like citrus, in stark contrast to her skin, which perpetually smelled of vanilla. It was nice, almost like an orange cream-cicle. We were quiet for a long time.

"It always felt good," I said after awhile, breaking the silence, "and I couldn't figure out why."

"Huh?" she asked into my neck.

"Holding you. Part of me always knew it was right, that it felt good. That it was something I should be doing. Only I couldn't figure out why."

She placed a tiny kiss on my throat, and I momentarily lost my train of thought, all energy spent on how it felt when she kissed me.

"It was the one thing I could always count on," I continued. "Your hugs. The comfort I felt when you were right next to me. And I never realized what it all meant. I figured it was just because you were part of my life, like family, and I guess I took it for granted somehow."

"Jasper, somehow I think you were always in love with me, and you were just too dumb to figure it out," she said matter-of-factly.

"You might be right," I said, laughing. "I mean, since I was seventeen, I've fantasized about kissing you."

"What?!" she said, clearly shocked.

"Yep," I said. "Remember when we went camping, and Rosalie was acting like her high and mighty bitchy self, and you and I stayed up late talking?"

She shifted in my arms. "Uh, yeah, I may remember some of that…"

"Well, I do. I remember it all. It was the first time I truly realized you were female, I think. Stupid of me to take so long, but that was the first instant I realized you weren't my sister's best friend. You were a _girl. _A _woman._ And I really liked your bottom lip."

She pulled away to look me in the eyes. Her face was a brilliant shade of red. "That weekend was pure torture for me, you know that?!"

"How?" I asked, utterly confused. I couldn't think of anything epic about the trip, except for the fact that I'd wanted to kiss her breathless the entire time.

"You! Everything about you tortured me. The way you made the fire, the way you looked in the glow of said fire. The way we were almost a team, allied against Rosalie somehow. And then I saw you-" Her face deepened a darker shade of red, and her lips sealed together.

"You saw me what?" I asked incredulously. She couldn't have possibly seen me… I was in my tent when…

"When you were changing," she said quietly. "You were in the trees, and you thought I couldn't see you…"

"You were peeping at me?!" I asked humor evident in my tone. Oh my little Alice… she never really was as innocent as she seemed.

"I didn't mean to, I just couldn't look away. Even then you were a freaking Adonis."

I snorted. "Hardly."

"To me you were. That shit was like porn to me. I got off so many times thinking about it. It's still in my spank bank after all these years." Now her blush was epic, spreading across her face like wildfire. It was sexy as fuck.

"Alice, must you tease me so?" I joked, but still staggered by her admission. I was also turned on as hell. "You're giving me very naughty thoughts about you. Clearly, you're not as innocent as you seem."

"Hardly," she agreed, repeating my earlier sentiment, eyes dark again.

She kissed me then, the single most heated kiss we'd ever exchanged… the best kiss of my life. It was greedy, and desperate, and left me begging for more.

"Show me," I gasped, shocking myself as much as Alice. "If you want," I amended.

"You mean… show you what you do to me? How you get me all hot and bothered and I have to take things into my own hands?" she said, her voice husky, her eyes hooded with lust.

"Please," was all I could muster. I felt like whimpering like a little dog.

She pulled away from me, much to my disappointment. That disappointment was short lived, however, when she pulled her shirt up and off, throwing it into the corner. She was left in a pair of short shorts and a green silky bra that made her hazel eyes seem more verdant.

"When I think of you, Jasper," she started, "I imagine that you're making love to my entire body." Her hands went to the fly of her shorts, and they joined the shirt in quick order. Now she was left in her bra and matching panties. I could smell her arousal from here. Her skin was milky white and flawless, save for a few freckles here and there. I'd memorize them later, kiss each one. The one next to her hip bone intrigued me the most.

"Shall I tell you where I touch myself?" she asked.

"Yes please," I breathed.

"First, I start with my breasts," she said, easily unhooking her bra and throwing it aside. It was the first time I'd ever seen her fully naked breasts, and I was transfixed. They were perfect, tiny handfuls with rosy nipples I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into, to lave with my tongue. They were hardened now, from the shock of the cool air, and from her evident arousal. The blush had moved from her face, downwards, warming her flesh which I so desperately wanted to enjoy now.

That could wait until later.

Her hands moved across the swells of her breasts, cupping them in her tiny hands and sighing gently as her fingers moved deftly across her nipples. She hissed as she lightly pinched them. I nearly lost my mind then and there, and she had barely started.

"I pretend your mouth is here, and your hands, too," she said, throwing back her head as she pinched her nipples more roughly now. "How you'd touch me in the heat of the moment, not holding back for one second."

I groaned. My jeans were entirely too confining, to the point of pain.

Her hands moved then, drifting down her body, serpentine patterns moving down, down, down, teasing the edges of her panties. I fought back the urge to simply tear them off of her and bury my face between her legs. I'm sure she wouldn't protest, but I wanted to see where she was going with this. It was simply too hot to miss.

"Then what, Alice?" I growled. "Tell me what you do next."

She rubbed one hand across her clothed sex, her thighs spreading open of their own accord. My mouth watered as I saw her panties were dark with her wetness, soaked clear through. Her hips were already seeking friction, rising up off the couch, seeking her hand more roughly.

"Then I circle my clit, pretending it's your tongue," she sighed, and sunk her hand underneath her panties, hiding her movements from me. Once again, I was tempted to rip the fragile material away from her body, but I wanted her to go at her own pace, the way she wanted to show me.

I was rock hard and in severe pain.

"Alice, can I- is it okay if-" I couldn't get out the words. I was transfixed with her, and couldn't have told you my own name at this point. Everything was Alice.

"Touch yourself, Jasper," she whispered. "And think only of me."

"Only you, ever," I moaned. "Alice." I unzipped my pants with unsteady hands and pushed my boxers aside to free my erection.

Alice's eyes flashed with surprise and greed. Her hand sped up beneath her panties as I stroked my cock slowly in my hand. She moaned, and I could tell she'd added a finger or two to her ministrations.

"Are you thinking about my cock in your pussy?" I asked, unable to stop the vulgar words from coming out of my mouth. She seemed to like it. Her hand pumped harder, and I matched my pace to hers.

"Mmm hmm," she whimpered. Her eyes were on me just as much as mine were on her. Neither of us could look away, our hands busily doing what the rest of us wished we could do.

"Touch yourself for me, baby," I said.

"That's… what I'm doing…" she gasped.

"Play with your nipples," I said, correcting myself. "Please, baby."

Her free hand traced the outline of her nipples, touching everything but the center, and I knew she was teasing herself, bringing herself closer to the edge. I was right there with her.

"So… close…" I gasped, my hand pumping me roughly and quickly. Alice's hand was just as relentless, and I could tell that her thumb was doing double time on her clit.

"So'm I," she said, her breathing out of control. "Please, Jasper, cum with me," she prodded.

I could deny her nothing, not even my orgasms, and the second I saw her still and shout out my name, my body too stilled and convulsed, her name coming out as a whisper on my lips.

Her hips gave a few more weak thrusts, my body collapsed like Jell-O, and we were both spent.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "That was the most-"

"I know," I said, too pleased with myself to care that I'd just made a mess of myself. Unlike Alice, I was still fully clothed, and there was no hiding the evidence of my arousal on my T-shirt. Oops.

"What's it going to be like when we actually have sex?" she wondered aloud.

"Someone's going to have to revive us," I replied.


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: Apparently I need to be putting stronger warnings on my chapters... EmmaleeWrites05 told me to put NSFW (Not Suitable for Work) warnings on these puppies... ;-) So... just so you're warned... If you read at work, or school, or somewhere equally inappropriate... yeah, just be careful. ;-) Thanks as always to LittleLea05, and to my reviewers, because we're over 400 reviews now, and that just makes my day. :-D Thank you!!!!! **

**Disclaimer: It's not mine... but I wish Jasper were, especially in this chapter... ;-)**

As predicted, my mother was thrilled. After Alice and I finally broke apart from our intense, half-naked make out session, we headed back to my house for dinner with my newly returned parents. My mom greeted us with huge hugs, tears in her eyes.

"I'm so happy you've found happiness in each other," she sobbed, clutching Alice against her chest. "You were always in our family, dear, and now you really do belong here. You're really family!"

Alice teared up as well, and I realized with a start that she had been dreaming about this moment long before I could have even conceived it. I knew she considered my folks her second parents, but I hadn't realized that she had wanted it this badly until just now.

Not for the first time, I was staggered by the way she loved me. I didn't deserve it, but like the greedy bastard I was, I'd take it.

We held hands all through dinner, keeping it PG. My hand rested on her knee as I ate with my right hand only, and she switched to her left when no one was noticing so she could cover my hand with her tiny one. She squeezed it gently, and then went back to eating her meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

The next few weeks passed by just as blissfully. Alice and I progressed in our relationship, both emotionally and physically, and we were finally getting on the same track when it came to the physical part. I knew she was ready to take the final step, and I was, too. I was just having a little too much fun with the foreplay.

The summer days were waning, and the twilight came sooner and sooner each night. Alice spent a lot of evenings painting the sunsets, watercolors and an easel in front of her. I could spend hours watching her create. Her hands moved as if independent from the rest of her body, the paintbrush an extension of her arm. Then we'd sneak off into her bedroom and enjoy each other in every sense of the word.

We weren't always boring, as Rose always accused of us of being, and we went out with Rose and Emmett often to prove to them that we weren't already an old married couple. Although I'd never call what we were doing boring, and the idea of being an old married couple had never been more appealing. We were creating memories, just the two of us, making a real relationship. I had never craved one before, and suddenly it was the only thing that mattered to me. Alice was becoming my entire world, and I tried as hard as I could to not think about the upcoming autumn.

I wasn't ready to give her up for another school year. Even though it was our last one, and Seattle and Portland weren't separated by anything more than a long strand of I-5 in between, I couldn't stand the idea of waking up without her next to me now. She was ingrained in me, my best friend and lover in one, and the very idea of being without her physically hurt.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered, rolling over on her side to study the side of my face. "I can tell that you're thinking."

"I'm glad, it would be bad if I didn't think," I joked.

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean," she said, playing with the hair that fell into my eyes often. She'd confessed to me a few minutes prior that that was one of the things she loved most physically about me, which had led to a tickle fight and subsequent kiss and grope.

"I don't want to leave you. I don't want you to leave me. I don't want this to end."

"What?!" Her eyes were widened in fear. "Jasper, I'm not going to leave you, I _love _you, what do I have to do to convince you-?"

I grabbed her hands in mine and rubbed them with the pads of my thumbs. "I mean for school. At the end of summer."

She relaxed in my grasp, but the look on her face was anything but relief. "Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that." She positively wilted.

I turned towards her so that we were facing each other, for once at eye level with each other. One hand crept up to her cheek to stroke the soft skin there, and it heated slightly under my touch. "Alice, you are the single most important thing in my life. Nothing will ever stop me from loving you. And the idea of being separated from you physically hurts me. I ache when I think about it. But please don't think that this is going to end just because we live in separate states. I'm going to be a lot harder to get rid of than that."

She gave me a weak smile. "I think I'm living proof of that," she joked.

"Yeah, I have no idea why though."

"Ass," she said.

"You love it."

She blushed. "So, what of it, punk?"

"I'm a punk now?"

"Maybe," she giggled. I rolled on top of her, using my elbows to prop me up off of her. The last thing I needed was to crush her now. I peppered her face with kisses, moving down to her neck, sampling the sweet, soft skin there. Her giggles turned to moans.

"I don't want to leave you," I said. "I don't want you to be so far away from me. I don't want to live without you."

She whimpered, most likely torn between what I was saying, and what I was doing to her. I reinforced my feelings with each kiss, infusing my touch with adoration, love, and need.

"I love you. I love the way you smell. I love the way you smile. I love the way you touch me. I love the way I wake up each morning and think of you. I love how you love me more than I deserve. I love how you're my best friend and my lover, and I can't ever get enough of you."

"I love you so much," she whimpered as my hands coasted down her sides, taking hold of her hips, pressing my hips hard against her to show her just how much I really did need her, and really didn't get enough.

I wanted her. Now. She was ready, and God knows I was ready now.

"Alice," I whispered into her neck. "Please."

"What?" she asked, sounding dazed.

"Please. I can't stop myself anymore." I was begging, and I couldn't help it.

"Then don't," she said huskily. Her mouth sought out mine, and I was totally lost in her.

"Love me, Jasper. Please love me."

"I do love you," I whispered.

"Then show me," she said softly, framing my head in her hands as she pulled me to her. Our mouths met over and over again, the energy and passion passing between us like electricity. Our tongues brushed against each other, battling each other for control of the kiss. Her right leg hitched around my hip, bringing me closer and closer to her.

Her hands found purchase in my hair, and my fingers dug into her hip probably too roughly, but she didn't protest, and it matched the fervor of the moment. This by far was our most intense kiss, and the best part was, it didn't have to end. I wasn't going to stop, and I knew she wasn't going to, either.

I felt her hands leave my hair, playing gently with my neck right in the sweet spot, making me buck my hips into hers once more, and then they were pushing against my shoulders, pushing me onto my back. I rolled over, and she followed, molding her curves to my body, legs entwining with mine. Her heated core was right above mine, and I could feel it, constantly grinding against me. My dick was fighting to get out of my pants, to get closer to her. Because he knew that it wasn't going to end here.

I rolled her back onto her back, hovering over her again, our kisses becoming reckless and hungry; our teeth were starting to clash in our haste and growing need. Her hands were everywhere; they gripped my butt, bringing me in closer, and then moving up, pushing the back of my shirt up.

Good plan. Naked would make this all so much better. I broke away, incredibly reluctantly, and helped her help me rid me of my shirt. Her eyes flashed with lust and appreciation as usual, and my ego swelled right along with my cock. It was painful.

"God, you're so perfect," she marveled, running her hands up and down my chest. I shivered.

"Let's see just how perfect you are," I whispered. Now she was the one to shiver. I leaned in to kiss her again, and nudged the material of her shirt up. Her stomach muscles were already quivering as I ran my palms up her body.

"Jasper, please, I want to feel you," she whimpered. Her blue eyes were dark and hooded, her lips red and swollen. Her hair was messed up from my hands, and her cheeks were flushed pink. In other words, she was sexy as hell and aroused as I had never seen her.

Fuck me, I was even harder than before, which I had thought was an impossibility.

I kissed her again, breaking it only to bring her shirt up over her head. She was left in her shorts and bra now, every waking fantasy coming true.

"Still too many clothes," she gasped, hands darting to my waistband to help her with the buttons and fly. She pushed them down with her feet, kissing me fiercely in the process.

She broke apart from me. "What about protection?"

"Huh?" I was too far gone to compute what she had just said. I bit at her ear.

"Condom," she gasped. "Do you have one?" Before I could answer, she was kissing me again.

"I- uh- I'm not sure," I said, finally comprehending what she was asking. "I have to look."

"Hurry," she said, definite urgency lacing her tone.

I leapt up from the bed, unwilling, but the necessity outweighed pleasure. It was hard to cut through the fog in my mind, but I thought I remembered a box stuffed in the back of my dresser, left over from the spring with Maria. I shuddered to think about that now.

Box, box, there had to be a box, please for the love of God, let there be a box.

Voila!

Expiration date… good. I sighed in relief, and hobbled back to the bed. "Found them! Found them!"

Alice was in hysterics, laughing her ass off, rolling over and giggling, tears streaming down her face.

"What?!" I asked, confused and a bit angry. I wanted to keep going. Laughing wasn't helping the situation.

"You should have seen yourself," she chortled. "You were all hunched over and look at the mess you made!"

I realized I had thrown the entire contents of my underwear drawer across the floor.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "That's not funny," I said. "You wanted protection."

"Jasper, don't be mad at me," she said, still giggling. "But you have to understand that this isn't exactly how I pictured my first time with you… first time period."

Oh right. First time. I had to slow the fuck down. Luckily, her laughter had killed a lot of the urgency, and now I could calm my urges. This was going to be all about her. I had promised her perfection many times, and it had to be just that.

"How did you picture it?" I asked.

"Well, we were in the right direction before…"

"So shall we start there?"

"Mmm, yes please," she said, sinking back into the pillows, arms raised up over her head, arching her back slightly. I wondered if she was aware that it made her breasts push eagerly towards me, full and dusted pink with blush. She was in a simple white bra and matching panties: innocent, virginal. Literally. I had to keep that in mind.

I took a moment just to look at her, to memorize her just as she was right now. This memory would be burned in me forever, and I would take it with me forever. This first time, the first of many.

"Jasper," she sighed. I noticed her eyes were doing the same to my body. "I can't believe…"

"Me either," I said. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

"Let me make love to you," I whispered, laying over her once again. "Please, let me show you how much I love you."

She could only whimper in response, so I kissed her deeply, slowly, achingly. Degree by degree, I switched the angle, and the kiss seemed endless. I never wanted it to end.

She had other plans. My little minx started pushing down my boxers with her feet, her nails dragging up my back. My hips bucked into hers, seeking friction, spurred on by her hands. Going slow was going to be hard.

"Alice, please," I said into her neck, gritting my teeth. "This is for you, tonight is about you."

"It's about both of us," she said. "Please let me make you feel good."

"Trust me, you are," I gasped.

I willed myself to calm down. If not, I was going to do what my body craved; bury myself roughly in her, and never resurface.

I kissed down the line of her graceful neck, feeling her pulse jump against my lips. I nibbled at her collarbone, and down to her breasts, still encased in her bra. Not acceptable. My hands undid the front clasp, and she lifted up her shoulders to pull it free from her. Her breasts bounced free, much to my relief, and I slid a nipple between my lips, biting down greedily and hearing her strangled moan.

"Please, Jasper," she sighed. I wasn't sure what she was asking for, but I'd give it to her anyway.

I was a man on a mission, kissing down her body now, feeling her muscles tense under my mouth. I laid open-mouthed kisses down her belly, feeling her arch and thrust her body towards me, needing more. She was mumbling things now, things I couldn't understand, but understood the meaning of completely.

I wanted to say the same things, too.

Instead, I kissed along her panty line, and she gasped, pushing my head away gently.

"Jasper, you don't have to…"

"Oh, but I want to," I said, giving her a half-grin. She bit her lip and blushed. Beautiful. I ran my tongue along the panty line, my hands playing with the bottom edges. My fingers curled around the band of her underwear, and tugged down.

Fuck me. I died and went to Heaven. Alice was my Heaven. She smelled like it, too. I wanted to dive right on in. My mouth was inches away from the Promised Land. But Heaven was tense and trying to close its Pearly Gates.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

"You really don't have to," she said, and I detected fear in her eyes. Fuck.

I moved back up to her face, cupping her cheek and feeling her lean into me. "What's the matter, my love?"

"Maybe there was one thing I'm not quite ready for," she said quietly, and I knew it killed her to admit it.

"That's okay. I don't have to… not yet. I want you to feel good. And I promise, my love, it will feel good when you're ready."

She gave me a sweet smile. "You're too good to me, Jasper."

I shook my head. "I believe you have it reversed, darlin'."

"I don't want you to stop," she said. "I want you so bad. And I'm ready. More than ready. I need you."

I kissed her. "We'll save that for another day, okay?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I want you inside me, Jasper. So bad."

"Let me make you feel good first- with my hands- alright? It may not feel so good after, and I want you to feel good."

She nodded. "I know." Her hips arched up automatically, meeting my hands. "I trust you."

We'd discuss later that oral was all about trust, and that she had nothing to fear from my mouth. But that would come another time. Right now… I was going to finger fuck the hell out of her.

My hand cupped her hot, wet, _tight _sex, and felt just how ready she really was. This I had done. This I knew I could handle. It was the easing myself into her and not hurting her that was something I hadn't done before. I'd never been with a virgin before, and I knew it was going to take every ounce of willpower in me to do it right.

I eased in two fingers right away, knowing I had to prepare her for me. She immediately bucked towards me, desperate for more. I used my thumb to brush against her clit, and added a third finger.

"Oh God," she moaned. "So good."

"I want you to feel so good, baby," I whispered in her ear. "Let me show you how good it can be."

"Mmph," was all she could manage as I worked my fingers inside her. Her lips parted, and her breathing sped up as I pumped in and out of her body, kissing her mouth, neck, and shoulders. "Jasper," she sighed. Her body was tightening around me, and I knew she was close. "Please."

I doubled my efforts, and soon, she was cumming around my fingers, dripping her juices down my hand. I wanted badly to capture it all with my mouth, but I was resolved to make this the best experience possible for her, and clearly she wasn't ready for that. I always knew she was slightly full of shit when she told me she was ready for _everything._

"Fuck, Jasper," she whispered. "So good. Thank you."

I withdrew my fingers and kissed her. She pushed me onto my back, and started to pull my boxers off. I let her this time, and I almost laughed at the expression on her face when she took in my erect form. It was almost like a kid in a candy store, or maybe how Alice looked after a successful day in Seattle on Black Friday. No, this was one was even better. She openly devoured me with her eyes, just as greedily as I did at this moment with her.

Naked Alice was a beautiful Alice.

"Now let me make you feel good," she said, straddling my legs and taking me in her tiny grasp.

"Not a lot," I managed. She was already so good at pleasuring me, despite her protests that she often felt like she wasn't doing a good job. Oh, she was doing a good job, she was just swallowing up all the evidence most of the time. "I want to be inside you when I cum."

She shivered, and she shifted slightly. "I've wanted to hear you say that-"

"Alice," I said simply, not wanting a conversation at the moment as her hands massaged my balls.

"Right," she said with a wicked grin, and lowered her mouth to my cock. It wasn't long before I was about to embarrass myself by cumming too soon. I pushed on her shoulders gently and laid her back on the bed.

"I need you, now," I said, and then kissed her again. Our jaws were going to be sore, and our lips swollen, but I couldn't have cared less. Kissing her was more important than oxygen. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, reaching to the side table to grab a condom. She handed it to me shyly. "You'll have to teach me how to put it on another time," she said.

_Another time! It was going to happen again! _

_Calm down, Jasper, you haven't even been inside her yet. For all you know, she could kick you out and call you a loser._

_Not likely._

I tore open the wrapper with my teeth, watching her eyes widen in fascination, and rolled it on quickly. I didn't even need a few extra pumps for good luck, I was already hard as a rock. I lay back down between her legs, and nudged them apart.

And now came the hard part. _Make it last, Jasper, make it last…_ These were words for my own sake, as well as Alice's.

"I love you so much," I said, and kissed her chastely for reassurance.

"I love you with everything I have," she said.

And then I was pushing inside her. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. FUCK. So tight. Soooo tight… I hissed as I felt her body contouring around my intrusion. Good Lord, I was seconds away from cumming already, and I wasn't even fully inside her. I clenched my jaw and held my breath.

When I reached her barrier, I could feel Alice tense around me, making the tightness ten million times worse. "Are you sure?" I panted.

"Yes," she whimpered. "Jasper, please."

I took a huge breath, and broke through, hearing Alice gasp and whimper, and not in a good way. I stopped right away, kissing her forehead, cheeks, nose, lips, everywhere, silently reassuring her. It was incredibly painful to stay still when all I wanted to was to fuck her into oblivion. All of my thoughts and energy were focused on not hurting her.

"I'm okay," she said, even as a tear escaped down her cheek, and I kissed it away before pulling slowly back and easing myself forward again, this time filling her completely. My eyes were tightly shut, and my entire body was shaking and straining with the effort of holding back what my body wanted.

"Please, more Jasper," she said, pushing her hips towards me, encouraging me to move. I thrust into her more urgently, but I refused to give in to the rest of my urges. _Another time, later, _I told myself.

Alice grew more and more comfortable as I moved in and out of her, wrapping her arms around me and moaning when I moved in a particular way. I had told her she probably wouldn't feel pleasure during this whole thing… maybe I was wrong, maybe…

"Jasper, cum for me now, honey, cum for me," she encouraged, and fuck if I don't do everything Alice tells me to do. It was too much: the tightness, the tone of her voice, the way this felt way too right to be real, the way I loved her, the way she had waited for me, for this moment…

I came hard, stilling inside her and trying hard not to collapse against her body. "Alice," I moaned. I pulled out reluctantly, ran into the adjoining bathroom to clean up, and ran back to the bed, holding my angel in my arms.

Alice had always been open with her emotions… when she was happy, you sure as hell knew she was happy. When she was sad, you sure as hell knew she was sad. But now she was crying, and I wasn't sure if she was happy or sad.

"Are you okay, baby?" I asked.

"I'm perfect," she sobbed.

Okay, going with happy tears then…

"Did I hurt you? Are you in pain? Tell me, Alice," I begged.

"It was perfect," she said again, smiling up at me this time. "Sure, it hurt at first, and I'm going to be _really _sore later… but it was perfect."

I smiled down at her, and kissed her briefly. "And it's only going to get better." I kissed her forehead, and felt her shiver in my arms.

"Have I mentioned lately that I love you?" she asked.

"It's come up a few times," I teased.

**A/N II: Was it worth the wait? Let me know what you thought!!! :-)**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to review!!! It really means so much to me. :-) Oh, and I have enabled anonymous reviews, so please feel free to let me know what you think, whether or not you have an account. :-) Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I was having mega writer's block. Let's hope it's gone for now. Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for checking this over for me. :-)**

**I have a Twitter account, so if you dare, follow me! LisaHR79 is the name, and try not to get too shocked at the content. Then again, you read my fics, you know I'm a dirty girl. ;-)**

**Disclaimer: Anything you might recognize doesn't belong to me.**

"_Jasper, will you be my Valentine?"_

_I was eight years old, and the last thing I wanted was a girl to be my _Valentine. _Ewww._

"_No, you're a _girl,_" I said meanly, knowing that as soon as I said it, she'd start crying and tell on me. Maaaaaan. No fair. Girls are so annoying._

_Alice frowned. "Why not, Jasper? Don't you love me?"_

"_I don't love _any _girls," I said. That was almost true. I loved my mom and I was told that I loved my twin. I didn't quite believe them, but who knows? "I'll never love any girls ever! They're disgusting."_

"_No, you love me," she said confidently. "You love me," she said again, almost as if she were confirming it to herself. _

_I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'll never love you, Alice. I promise."_

_Her eyes flashed knowingly. "You will."_

Never bet against Alice, I guess. Because, as I wrapped my arm more securely around her waist and burrowed my face in her neck, I knew that I'd never love anyone more than I loved her, now and for the rest of my life.

My eyes opened slowly, unwilling against the morning sun, and felt my morning wood twitch as I looked down at the angel in my arms. Alice was smiling in her sleep, a content and pleased look on her face, and she was completely naked under my hands. Forget about the cliché of the sheet being wrapped around her chest, and mine around my waist, the blue fabric was tangled up around her legs, and I could see in perfect, plain view her beautiful nude body. I took a moment to simply enjoy the view, trying to memorize everything about this moment.

I felt more than a twitch down below remembering last night, and how badly I wanted it again. I wanted her to enjoy it this time. I felt slightly guilty for cumming without her last night, but I also knew it wasn't common for girls to orgasm on their first try, and she had asked me to cum…

Today, if she would let me, I'd show her just how we could improve together.

My hands wouldn't stop tracing trails across her soft skin, needing to memorize her body, needing to know her as intimately as possible. The need almost became an ache inside me. I wanted her to wake up so I could worship her properly.

As if she could feel the urgency in my touch, and the need welling up inside me, her eyes fluttered open and licked her lips. "Jasper?" she rasped, voice thick with sleep.

"I'm here, my love," I said, and leaned forward to brush a kiss against her forehead. She shivered. "Did you sleep well?"

"The best sleep of my life, honestly," she replied. "I like falling asleep in your arms."

My heart did a little skipping thing. "I love waking up beside you." Yeah, I was a fucking girl right about now, but I couldn't help it, and she didn't seem to mind.

She blushed, and I think it was then that she noticed that we were naked together, and she was uncovered, and I was… ready. She moved to pull the covers over us, and I stopped her hand, entwining her fingers with mine as I said, "Please don't. I want to see you… all of you. You're so beautiful."

She stared at our joined hands for a long time. "It really happened," she whispered. A grin broke out across her face. "It really happened!" She sounded genuinely excited now.

"Yeah, it did," I grinned.

"God, it was so worth it… the wait, I mean," she breathed. "I'm still sore, though." She blushed to admit it, and I wasn't sure whether to feel bad or boastful about that. I went for sympathetic.

"I'm sorry, my love."

She smiled up at me. "That's okay. Part of the deal, right?"

"Right," I said, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"I never want to leave this bed," she sighed as she draped her arms around my neck.

"Me either… but I think we'd starve to death if we didn't." Right on cue, her stomach gave a tiny, lady-like grumble, and we both burst into laughter. It was amazing to know that even after being intimate, we could still laugh together. I suddenly felt the weight of this timeless moment… it was our first time together like this, but it felt like we'd been together for years, and I suppose in some ways, we had been.

"C'mon," I said. "Let's get dressed and get some breakfast."

Her face fell.

"What?" I asked quickly, hating to see the look of dissatisfaction on her face.

"Get dressed?" she pouted. "I just got you naked…"

I burst into laughter again. "Okay, no clothes. We'll eat cold cereal. No splattering bacon grease this morning."

It surprised and shocked me when she easily slid off the bed and saunter to the door, completely naked and completely confident. I loved it, I just didn't expect it. I wondered where that confidence came from.

She disappeared around the corner, a 'come-hither' look on her face. Aww, hell, see, now I wanted her again, SO BAD. I felt myself harden, and wanted to follow her like I was a tomcat and she was a cat in heat so I could fuck the shit out of her. I had to slow down and calm myself. She was still sore, still not ready to be taken the way that my body craved.

I took a few deep breaths, and tried to think about less exciting things. It wasn't really working; in between each image of my parents getting it on and dead puppies, images of last night kept flashing in front of my eyes.

"Jasper?" she called from down the stairs.

"Coming!" I called, and tried not to think about the other meanings of the word. Ugh. Not. Helping.

When I finally got down the stairs, I saw her gingerly sitting on one of the kitchen chairs, a bowl of cereal in front of her. "It's cold in here," she said with a grimace. "Maybe we should rethink the naked thing."

I laughed. "I don't know, I'm kind of enjoying the view right now." Her nipples were erect and pointing right at me… I fought back a groan.

She blushed again, and then changed the subject. "Cheerios, Kix, or Coco Puffs?"

"Kix," I said, and she shot me a surprised look. "What? They're kid tested and mother approved."

"Yeah, because everything else we're doing is mother approved," she smirked, and then openly ogled my chest, taking distracted bites of cereal. I poured the milk, and we chewed in silence, but somehow, it wasn't awkward like most other First Morning Afters I'd had. Other than the fact that we were naked, it felt like every other breakfast we'd ever had together, and I was relieved.

"What do you want to do today?" she asked as she rose and rinsed out her bowl in the sink. I stared at her ass as she did, and moaned as she bent over a bit to throw out her napkin in the garbage under the sink. Oh God. My hard-on was back with a vengeance, and he wasn't going to go down without a fight… or a fuck.

"Do you even need to ask?" I said with raised eyebrows, still staring at her ass as she turned her head and caught me. I didn't even care I had been caught. She had a glorious ass.

She giggled, and the sound was beautiful. She sounded so happy, and her face shone with happiness… and desire.

"Really?"

"Why do you always sound so amazed when I tell you I want you? Can't you tell I'm not lying?"

She walked to me, and made a very dangerous move by straddling my knees as I sat at the table. So close, so close, so close… It took everything in me to focus on what she said, and even then, I was more than half distracted.

"Because it took us so long to get here," she said, playing with the ends of my hair.

"Because it's everything I've always wanted, and I never really thought we'd get here, even when I knew we would… which makes no sense, I know, but every time you touch me, every time you kiss me, every time I see that you want me…" She blushed again, as her eyes darted down between us and saw just how much I wanted her now. "It takes me a minute to realize you really mean it."

"I will always really mean it," I promised. "I _love _you, with everything I have. It's not lie when I tell you that, please believe me."

"I believe you," she said softly. "Just… give me a minute to get used to it, okay?"

I leaned forward to kiss her, our first kiss of the morning. It was sweet and lingering, and I tried my best not to let my instincts take over, grab her hips, and lower her down on me. The very thought of her breasts bouncing so close to my face, and just how tight she would be cumming around my cock very nearly had _me _cumming, and I pulled away to breathe deeply and calm myself.

"Let's go upstairs," I suggested, and Alice subconsciously licked her lips. Her eyes were very dark, and her breath hitched as I moved my hands up the curves of her waist.

"Yes, please," she said huskily, and I slid her off my lap before dragging her up the stairs.

She giggled as I eagerly tugged on her hand, and we laughed together as we tumbled onto the bed. For a few minutes, we just rolled around and wrestled on the bed, kissing and messing around, determining who was going to be on top. I hoped I lost.

As I'd hoped, Alice finally landed on top of me, her legs threading between mine, and her hands splayed out across my chest. "Do you have any more condoms?" she gasped.

I reached between us to feel her wetness, and was shocked to feel how ready she was for me already. "Wow, you really are ready," I said, slipping a finger inside her gently. She gasped and arched herself into me.

"So ready," she sighed. I kissed her, trying to express to her just how much I wanted and needed her at that moment. My dick felt like it was going to explode if he didn't get near her soon. The proximity to her was torturous. She whimpered as I continued to finger her, and kissed me desperately as I slipped in two fingers and rubbed her clit with the pad of my thumb. She moaned into my mouth, and my dick hardened even more.

Needed. Her. Now.

"Alice, I really can't wait much longer," I gasped, feeling like an ass for pushing her, but needed to feel that connection with her as soon as possible. This fact was made concrete when she started reached between us and stroked my cock in her tiny palm. My body shuddered, and an absurd, mangled sound escaped my throat.

She giggled, and kissed the tip of my nose. "Jasper, make love to me."

My body didn't want to take this nice and slow, the good and proper way making love was supposed to be. I nipped at her bottom lip, trying to incite some of the raw need into her that I felt. Her fingers curled in my hair, nearly painfully, and kissed me back just as feverishly, her body writhing beneath mine. The friction was insanity; it felt like I would careen right into crazy if we didn't connect… mate… fuck like animals… right now.

My hand blindly searched for the box of condoms next to the bed. I nearly knocked the box over with my fumbling, but managed to fish out the necessary item. My hands were shaking as I ripped open the package, and rolled it onto my extremely painful erection.

"Alice… ready?"

"Yes," she moaned, and I parted her legs and entered more swiftly than I intended to, overly eager to join with her.

"Fuck!" we both moaned, and I opened my eyes to see if her 'fuck' reflected pain or pleasure. It looked like a mixture of both.

"Are you okay?" I asked, fighting off the urges to simply take and not ask questions.

"Yes, just give me a second," she gasped, and bit her lip. It looked like she was holding her breath, which made the rest of her tense, which wasn't helping my situation any.

"Okay, go," she said after three agonizing seconds.

"Thankyougod," I whispered quickly, and started out with slow, easy thrusts. I didn't want to hurt her. I was relieved when she bucked up her hips to ask for more.

"Please," she sighed, and I increased the pace, finally satiating my body with what it needed.

Alice was whimpering and moaning, her hands gripping my shoulders like a vice. Her legs tentatively wrapped around my waist, and I was pulled deeper inside her. "Oh, fuck," she sobbed. "Jasper!"

My hands moved to her hips, pulling her more closely to me. Her breasts are pressed hard against my chest, and her lips laid kisses against my shoulder.

She was so tight, and I was having difficulty holding on. She was making me feel like an inexperienced teenager again.

But before it was my turn, she had to cum with me. I was determined to show her that this wasn't all about me. Hardly. I wanted to see the look on her face when she came for me, the way her eyes became unfocused, and her breath hitched, and her pulse jumped in her neck.

One hand moved from her hip to move between us, and I was back to circling her clit, randomly applying pressure.

"OH!" she shouted, eyes flying open, and her mouth forming a perfect O shape. "Oh GOD!"

I couldn't help but half-smirk. I increased my efforts along with my thrusts, and felt her start to tighten around me_. Jesustittyfuckgoodlordgahhhh! _I'm pretty sure my eyes rolled up in the back of my head.

"JASPER!" she screamed, and I could feel her body contract around mine. I couldn't help but cum right with her, spilling myself into the condom and groaning with the relief the release brought. She was peppering kisses on my neck and shoulders before I could even think about pulling out.

"Damn, Alice," I groaned. "It's not supposed to be this good yet."

She giggled. "You make it sound like that's a bad thing."

I kissed her swiftly and intensely. "That's definitely not bad."

I pulled out gently, and she groaned unhappily. I felt like such a caveman. Everything she did made my ego swell just a little bit more. I was going to be a cocky bastard after just a few more times.

I was ecstatic to think that there would be other times.

Once we were all cleaned up, I lay back on the bed and we curled up together. I sighed contentedly, my face close to the citrusy scent of her hair. For once in my life, everything felt _right. _And it's not like everything had been wrong before, it just wasn't the way it was supposed to be. And now it was.

"You know, you were right," I said finally, and at first she didn't respond. I looked down, expecting to find her asleep, but she was looking up at me with surprise in her wide eyes.

"About what?" she asked.

"One time, you told me I was going to love you."

She snorted. "When?"

"When you were seven. You seemed pretty sure of yourself."

"Well, like you said, I was right."

"I suppose I was," she smiled. Her hands smoothed over my chest, making my shiver.

"JASPERRRRRRRR!!!!!" Rosalie suddenly bellowed. We both tensed, and then jumped apart. Rose wasn't only in the house, but bounding up the stairs, and fast. "Where in the hell are you?!"

"FUCK!" Alice said in a stage whisper, and despite the urgency of the moment, I couldn't help but chuckle. Alice didn't swear often, so I knew that when she did, it really meant something… Like when we had sex…

_Definitely not the right time to be thinking about this, Jasper…_

"What are we going to do?" she hissed.

I tossed a shirt at her, and she ran into the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her. Seconds later, Rosalie burst into the room.

There was silence. I was only grateful I had time to pull on my boxers before my sister caught me naked and post-coitus.

"Hey, Rosalie," I said, well aware I sounded exactly like someone in a really cheesy sitcom who'd just been caught doing something. "What's up?"

"I might ask you the same question," Rosalie said with a smirk in her voice. Her eyes were shifting around the room, taking in the disarray of clothes, which were still scattered in my haste to find condoms… and there was the fucking box, and an empty wrapper I'd forgotten to throw out.

We were caught, and we both knew it. Her eyes landed on Alice's bra, peeking out from the other side of the bed.

"Where's Alice?" she asked suggestively.

"I- uh- I'm not sure," I lied. "How was your night?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I stayed at Emmett's." For that, I was forever grateful. My parents were gone for the weekend to visit my Gran in Houston, something else I was extremely grateful for. But that wasn't the point right now. The point was, we were caught regardless.

"That's nice, how are things going for you two?" I asked politely, pretending to be interested.

"Cut the crap, Jasper," Rose said, calling me on my bullshit. "Where is Alice? I know she's here."

I sighed.

Alice stepped out of the bathroom then, biting her lip and wearing my oversized PSU T-shirt, looking embarrassed and nervous in front of her best friend. "Hey Rose," she said.

Rose stared between us, not saying anything. I couldn't read her expression. I braced myself, waiting for the horror and disgust in Rosalie's voice to come at any moment.

"Oh, Alice!" Rosalie squealed, flinging herself into my girlfriend's arms. "I'm so _happy _for you!"

Alice's face wore shock, as I'm sure mine did too, and she tentatively wrapped her arms around Rose, patting her awkwardly on the back. I had a feeling that her reaction had more to do with the fact that I was in the room than her actual excitement level.

"Tell me everything, you have to give me every detail," Rose said excitedly. "I'll forget he's my brother!"

"Rose!" I said with surprise and horror.

"Get out, Jasper, I have to talk to Alice!"

"It's my room!"

"Fine," she said, snatching Alice's hand. "We'll go to my room."

"But-" Alice protested, but it was to no avail. Rose dragged her out of my room, and Alice shot me an apologetic look as she was flung around the corner. Seconds later, Rose's door slammed down the hall, and I was left standing in the middle of my bedroom, half naked, upset about the turn of events, and missing Alice's touch.

_Women._

**A/N II: Please let me know what you thought!!! How was YOUR first morning after?? ;-)**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: I'm not going to be able to post for awhile... I don't know how long it will be. I'm going to CA to visit EmmaleeWrites05 and LittleLea05 for a few days for NM, and then Thanksgiving, and then I'm moving to Oahu the day after... So I have NO idea when I'll be able to write next, let alone post. Don't worry, I WILL finish this story. I am dedicated to seeing it through. But I'm going to be busy with RL, and I hope you can understand that. **

**I have another story, Masks, which is completely different than this kind of story, but it's one of my personal favorites, so if you check it out and leave me love, I'd love to hear what you think. Link on my profile. **

**ENJOY New Moon!!!! I'm really excited to see it with Jess and Lea. :-D Do you think you'll like it?**

**Follow me on Twitter, LisaHR79.**

**Disclaimer: This isn't mine.**

Labor Day was fast approaching, and the mornings were getting more and more crisp. I didn't like it. The days when Alice and I were to be separated by miles and states was coming closer and closer, and we both knew it. It was a black cloud over our heads at almost every turning point, and the only thing to do was hold each other tight until it came time to let go. I didn't want to let go, not ever.

We laid together in my bed, completely content to just hold each other. Tonight was our last night before we left for fall term at our respective schools. My heart hurt just thinking about it. Every part of me hurt, actually. My body ached with the knowledge that tomorrow night I'd be alone in my apartment bed in Portland, and she'd be back in her apartment in Seattle with Bella… without me.

Alice sighed. Her hot breath tickled my neck. "This really sucks," she said, her voice still thick with the tears she had shed only an hour before.

"Yeah," I said, somehow disconnected from everything that was going on. I didn't want this to happen. The logical part of my brain told me that I was being ridiculous. Seattle and Portland aren't that far apart, and we both had means of transportation. We could make the three hour trip as often as necessary. I thought I could justify the increased carbon footprint in order to be with the love of my life.

But psychologically, it was a lot harder to swallow. How was I supposed to survive if she wasn't beside me every night? How could my body handle not holding hers, not kissing her, not making love to her on a daily basis? I needed her, and every day.

I had fallen in love with her, and not just in the "Oh darling, you're so beautiful, I love you!" kind of way… but the "This is forever, honest to God can't imagine my life without you in it" kind of way. I seriously wondered how I'd ever survived a day without her in my life. And now I'd have to try to.

I fought against the wave of sadness that filled me. Alice was my everything now. She'd always meant a lot to me… but these last few months had changed everything. The last thing I thought of her as now was a sister. She was my best friend, my lover, my true love… It sounded cheesy as hell, and I knew if I told Peter he'd laugh his ass off at me… but it was incredibly true. She was _everything, _and I needed her.

"Jasper, are you OK?" Alice asked, concern laced in her voice.

"Not really," I mumbled.

Her hand reached up and brushed against my cheek. She looked astonished.

"What?" I couldn't figure out why she was frowning and astonished looking.

She held her hand up to me, and I saw her fingers were wet with tears. _My _tears. Holy shit, I was crying, and I hadn't even realized it.

"Jasper," she said, and I saw her own tears well up in her beautiful eyes. "I can't- I don't want- I just-"

My fingers moved to her lips of their own volition. "I know, I know," I said, and this time I heard the tears thick in my own voice. I had never experienced such raw emotions before, not with anyone for any reason. And now I was fucking crying just thinking about not holding Alice every night.

I'm so pussy whipped.

And I don't give a fuck.

"I love you," she whispered, running her hands through my hair. The sensation was comforting, and I leaned into her touch gratefully.

"I love you, too," I said into her skin. As always, it smelled like vanilla, and my lips suddenly felt the need to press against her skin to taste it. I needed to memorize every single part of her. Had to.

I placed an open mouthed kiss on her shoulder, brushing against her collarbone and scraping my teeth gently there. She shivered and wrapped her arms around my neck. My name came out like a whisper, and she bucked her hips against mine. Alice was always eager, and I was always just as eager to accommodate her. "Please," she sighed.

I understood her immediately. I needed to feel connected to her, close to her as much as possible. My mouth continued their path up her neck and under her jaw until I finally moved to her mouth. Our lips greeted each other warmly; I could taste the saltiness of her tears on her mouth.

Our kisses were deep and endless. I tried to pour every feeling and emotion I had inside me into the kiss, and she kissed me back just as passionately. I could literally feel the love flowing between us, and I didn't care if thinking that made me a pansy. I felt what I felt, and this was too real, too intense to ignore. My God, I love this woman.

Her hands were warm and trembling against my body as she pushed my T-shirt up. I had moved to hovering over her, and her hands teased my back, lightly raking her nails up and down my back. I shuddered. These kisses were too much to bear. I felt like I was on the verge of exploding, and not just physically.

Alice was wound tightly around me, as if she was afraid to let me go. I was holding back just as fiercely, refusing to let our bodies get out of contact for even a moment. She moaned into my mouth, her fingers tugging insistently in my hair.

I groaned. Too much. This was too much. I couldn't hold back anymore. I had to be close to her, as close as physically possible. I tore my mouth away from her, hearing her groan in displeasure. I nipped at her neck, and we both groaned together as I thrust my hips hard against her. My body was aching for hers, quite literally.

"Jasper, I need you," she gasped. "Please, let me be close to you!"

As if she needed to ask. I lifted up the hem of her shirt, brushing her soft, sensitive skin along the waist of her sleep shorts. Her milky skin erupted in goosebumps, shivering when I dipped my fingers underneath the waistband. Her body arched towards me, begging me for more, and I slipped a hand underneath her back to tease her lower back.

"Ohhhh," she sighed, whimpering as I skimmed the skin there, knowing just how crazy it made her. I'll never forget the day I discovered her sweet spot, and I liked to save it for special occasions just to drive her extra insane. She began writhing underneath me, driving me insane with want and need. She sucked on my bottom lip, making my cock grow even harder than before, and I knew then and there I had to get her naked, and now.

"Alice," I moaned as she pulled her own trick, brushing against my neck, knowing full well how I reacted when I did. "Fuck," I swore richly, and roughly pushed up her shirt, revealing her simply silky pink bra. Shit.

Her hands impatiently tugged on my own shirt, and then I was relishing the feeling of skin on skin, knowing it wouldn't be enough until we were both completely nude together. I leaned down to suck her nipple into my mouth, sucking through the silk fabric as I pushed her shorts down her legs.

"Oh God, Jasper," she moaned. "Please."

I felt between us, and felt just how wet she really was. It had soaked through her underwear, and I felt the wet patch on my hands, feeling the heat pouring off of her. Not surprisingly, I fought hard not to cum right away. There was something about this girl… this _woman _that drove me insane in all the best ways.

Her fingers fought with my button and zipper, and our hands were more than ready to shed the clothes we were regretfully wearing. There were times when I wondered why we even bothered to put on clothes. The need to feel skin against bare skin was too much to handle sometimes.

Finally, we were naked together, and still kissing as if our entire lives depended on it. And maybe they did. Alice's nipples hardened against me and I groaned into her mouth. Every action had a reaction, and we were eliciting reactions left and right from each other, pushing harder and harder, asking for more and more until we couldn't give anything else but love. I had endless supplies of that.

When I pushed inside of her, we groaned at the unity, and I realized then, though I had always somehow known, that I couldn't live without this. I refused to.

We moved together, now comfortable and well choreographed together. I knew her body and she knew mine, and I didn't want to use the word perfect… but it was perfect.

"Jasper, I love you," she whimpered. "I can't… I need…"

"Me, too," I whimpered. Yes, fucking whimpered. "Alice, you have to cum for me."

She only moaned in response, and instinct took over. My hands dug into her hips and I thrust myself into her completely, trying to fulfill both our needs. My hips dug into hers, and I could feel her start to tighten up around me.

"Jasper, please," she keened. "I- I-"

I was just as inarticulate. She hit the wall of orgasm mere seconds before me, her entire body raising off the bed to meet with mine, milking me for everything I had. I buried my face in her neck and gasped with the intensity of my climax.

"Oh my God," she sighed as her body fell limply back to the mattress. I took a minute just to admire her, a thin sheen of sweat covering her entire body. I knew I was just as hot, and she was staring, too. But instead of a lustful gaze, it was loving, worshipful, adoring. It was everything we felt for each other, trying to be conveyed through our eyes.

"I love you," I whispered. "So much. And I can't live without you. I absolutely refuse."

"What?" she asked, apparently still dazed. I loved it when we made each other speechless.

"I won't leave you. I can't."

"But-"

"No, I can't. I won't. There's no way I can live without you, without this, every single day." I clasped her hand in mine. "This is too important."

"Jasper, you're talking crazy," she said. "We have to go back to school… we're almost done!"

"I know that, but I can't face each day without you beside me."

She sighed. "That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

I frowned. "Don't you want to be with me?"

"Of course I do! God, Jasper, do you think that I want to go? Want to leave you? That's the last thing I want! But I refuse to let you give up anything for me."

"That's just the thing!" I said, just as passionately. "I wouldn't be giving up anything, because you are everything!"

She smiled and cupped my cheek. "My God, you really do love me, don't you?"

"More than anything," I said. It wasn't often I was carried away by my emotions, but when I did, I was virtually unstoppable. I don't change my mind about things easily or often. When I decide something, it's forever.

"And I love you, too," she said softly. "Which is why we have to go." Tears sparkled in her eyes, but her tone was firm. "I have to go to Seattle, and you have to go to Portland." Her voice cracked as she said it, each word getting softer and softer.

My heart sunk. I knew she was right. I knew I was being an idiot. Of course we had to go. We had to finish school, if for no other reason than so that I could get a job and we could have a home, a family, a life together.

Because I was that far gone. Thinking about the future didn't even scare me anymore. Alice was my future. She'd been right all this time.

"You're right," I finally said. The pain rocked through me again, more intense than before. I would have to exist without her.

"I hate it," she said. "Nearly a year-"

"Don't say that," I growled. "I have to take this a day at a time."

She smiled at me. "You're so cute," she marveled. "It hurts, but somehow, I love this."

"Huh?" She loved that we were going to be apart? Was she crazy?

"Jasper, as you may be well aware, I've been waiting for you my whole life…"

I smirked. "Is that so?" I loved how we went from serious to teasing and back with very little effort.

"I suppose," she teased. "Well anyway… I've _pined _for you for such a long time, and you never had to suffer for anything. And now…" she drawled in an exaggeration of her slight Southern emphasis. "Darlin', you're going to be the one who has to live without me. And I can't wait for you to miss me."

I growled deep in my throat. "You're evil, you know that?"

"Not evil," she clarified. "Just… a bit crazy."

I had to laugh. "Now that is definitely true."

She snuggled into my side, resting her cheek against my chest. I rubbed her back, thinking about everything. I knew she was right, I just didn't know how to handle it. I supposed I'd be busy with school, and I wouldn't have time to think about her every second of the day, but damn. Even thinking about not thinking about her hurt somehow. I was being fucking ridiculous, and I knew it.

"We should get some sleep," she said, kissing my chest.

"No," I said, knowing full well that my tone was incredibly childish. "I don't want to. I'm not tired." I fought back a yawn as I said this.

"Liar," she said with a laugh. "Think about it this way, the sooner we sleep, the sooner we can wake up and have shower sex."

Mmm, she had a point there. Most of the time, we stuck to the bed, but occasionally we got adventurous and we realized just last week that fucking against the wall of the shower was a pretty good deal. My cock was already awake and alert just thinking about it.

Alice smirked as she took in the tented sheets. "Down boy," she said with a laugh.

I just groaned at her.

"G'night, Jasper," she said, settling into the sheets. I immediately spooned her and rubbed my dick against her ass. She had to know that I wasn't going to sleep without a fight… or at least a polite discussion about the state of my genitalia. "Fuck, Jasper," she moaned. "I-"

"Please, Ali, baby, I need you."

When I slipped inside her this time, we took it slow. I rocked inside her, pressing my hand flat against her stomach as I pulled her deeper inside me. Alice hooked her leg over mine, and I slid in even deeper. When we finally reached our sweet release, I pulled out and turned her to face me.

"I love you," I said into her hair. I'd never grow tired of saying it.

"I love you, too," she said. I'd never hear that enough.

We fell asleep soon after, and I wrapped my arms as tight as possible around her, needed to feel her close to me, even in sleep.

When I dreamed, I thought of her.

_"Jasper, do you think we should use a sponge? Or maybe a rag." Alice's face looked puzzled and indecisive. A wrinkle in her forehead formed, she was clearly taking this seriously._

_"A rag will be just fine," I said. "I have a brush, too."_

_She smiled at me, and I had to stop and admire how it seemed to light her entire face. I shook my head, trying to rattle out that thought. She was, after all, my little baby sister getting her first car. It was an old, used thing, but she had bought it herself without her parent's help, and she was proud of it. _

_It was a rare warm day in Forks, the sun beaming without the interference of clouds or fog. As a result, Alice was wearing the tiniest shorts I think I'd ever seen on her. They barely reached mid-thigh, and revealed a whole lot of perfect leg. And then there was the bikini top…_

_Once again, I tried to push these thoughts from my mind. What in the hell did I think I was doing? _Not OK, Hale, _I told myself._

_Alice was busy filling a bucket full of water, the suds rising to the top quickly… too quickly. The water slashed up out of the bucket, soap flying up and all over Alice's hair and front. She shrieked and jumped up, completely soaked. _

_I burst into laughter, but the sound died quickly as I took in her wet body. I tried very hard not to notice that the cups of her tiny white bikini had soaked through and that the cold water had made very… interesting patterns across her chest. I swallowed hard and looked away quickly, but not before I had to turn around and adjust myself in my pants._

_"Oh damn it!" she laughed. _

_I laughed with her, but it sounded forced to my own ears. The bikini was still a distraction, so I turned to the hose and bucket and finished filling it full of water, careful not to splash myself._

_If I thought I could help her wash this car without becoming extremely aroused, I was incredibly wrong. My entire body was reacting against me, traitorous body parts aching to get to know her better. It was hard not to press her up against the car and kiss the breath out of her. She wasn't helping much either, not really caring if she was completely soaking her body with soap and water, and she kept laughing in a way that shook her entire… torso. I was literally holding back groans, and I had to discreetly adjust myself more than just the one time. This had happened ever since we went camping a few weeks ago with more and more frequency and intensity, and I didn't like it. I'd never felt this way about any girl before, and I didn't know what to do with myself. _

_"Are we all done?" Alice asked as she shut off the hose. She stepped back to admire our handiwork, and I had to step back to stop myself from doing something really stupid. _

_"Yeah, I think so," I said, suddenly desperate to get away. "It really looks great, Alice." _

_She beamed with pride. "I can't wait to take it out for a drive."_

_"Well, when you do, let me know, I'll go with you." Idiot! Why did you do that?! You can't be alone with her!_

_"Sounds fun," she said, her smile increasing. My heart leapt, and I gave her a grim smile before limping out of there._

"Jasper, wake up," Alice whispered in my ear. Her hot breath sent spikes of pleasure through my body. I tightened my arms around her, and let her lavish attention on my ear. My morning wood brushed up against her hipbone, and I grunted as she wiggled her hips against me.

"Mmm, I was having the best dream," I said without opening my eyes.

"I bet," she giggled. "Care to elaborate?"

"Remember when we washed your car?"

She outright laughed this time. "Uh, yeah?"

I opened my eyes to see her staring curiously down at me. My stomach twisted with need as I looked into her hazel eyes, shining brightly with amusement and desire. I gave her a grin before flipping her onto her back. She giggled as I covered her body with mine, hands coming to rest on her thigh and waist.

"That good, huh?" she asked.

I merely nodded and kissed her, ignoring the morning breath. She instantly returned the kiss, hands weaving into my hair. It was at that exact moment the weight of the day slammed against me. I nearly pulled away when I remembered what today was. The end of our bubble, the world we'd created, just the two of us. I was well aware that we had ignored the rest of the world, and now it would not be ignored. We had to face reality.

Have I ever mentioned that reality really sucks?

I must have tensed, because Alice pulled away with a frown on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" I said, still feeling my petulance from yesterday.

"Yeah," she sighed. We were quiet for a moment, and then she leaned forward to brush another kiss on my lips. "Come on," she said seductively. "You owe me a shower."

I followed, and the second the door was shut, I was pressing her against the shower wall. She shrieked as her back hit the wall, and my splayed palms on the tile confirmed it was incredibly cold even with the water running hot between us. We made passionate, quick love, our mouths fused together, unwilling to part, and afterwards, we washed either other's bodies and hair. Every moment felt fragile. We were trying make time stop, or at least slow, just for us.

Too soon, the world caught up with us, and we were piling into our cars that we had packed the day before. Rose was being nice and driving my car for me to Seattle so I could ride with Alice on the way down. I was going to drop off Alice and Rose, and then head down to Portland by myself.

The ride was comfortable, but there was an underlying tension. We weren't ready.

We'd fallen in love in the summer. It was the fall. Now was the time that we'd find out just how strong we'd built it, and prove that it was meant to be for forever.

Alice pulled up in front of her apartment building and sighed. "Bella's here already," she said hollowly, pointing out a behemoth of a red truck. "Oh, and Edward." A shiny silver Volvo sat next to it. That made sense. Edward seemed like a really… stable kind of guy. He was the only twenty-two year old guy who could have the same kind of car as a soccer mom and get away with it.

"Rose is going to her place, and then she'll be back with your car," Alice promised, and we started pulling boxes out of her car. Luckily, they'd lived in this place last year and kept most of their things in the apartment or storage when they were gone, so there wasn't a lot. I didn't want to deal with emotional _and _physical strain today. Not going to work out for me.

Soon enough, she was settled in, and Rose reappeared with my car. Fuck. This was it.

"Come in here," Alice said, tugging on my arm. We went into her bedroom and closed the door behind us.

I pulled her in for a kiss. I wanted to make it last. I knew it would be at least two weeks before we'd see each other again, and I was dependent on those kisses of hers. She sighed and pulled me closer, needed the contact as much as I did.

"Call me when you get to Portland," she said quietly.

"I will," I promised, stroking her cheek and brushing away the tears that fell there.

"I love you," she whispered, before kissing me softly, almost chastely.

"I love you, too," I said, my voice husky with tears. "Always, now and forever, you got that? We're going to be fine."

She nodded. "I know, I know. It's just-"

I put my fingers over her lips gently. "Alice."

"I know," she said again, and kissed my fingers.

"I'll call you," I promised one more time, and then I kissed her. Not for the last time. Never for the last time.

"I'm going to stay in here," she said. "I can't-"

I gave her a small smile. "I understand." And I really did. I was going to be a fucking mess in approximately ten seconds, and I didn't want to anyone to see me.

I have no idea how I managed to pull away, but I did. Already, I felt hollow. Alice was already sitting on the bed, a defeated and pained look on her face. I knew mine matched, and I shut the door behind me before I lost all willpower and begged her to let me stay.

She burst into tears.

**A/N II: If you leave me a lot of love, we'll be over 500 reviews!!! :-D**


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: I wrote this on the train down to visit the glorious EmmaleeWrites05 and LittleLea05. I had a great time with them!!!!!!! How did y'all love the movie?? With the exception of Jackson's wig, I loved it. :-D This chapter is a little short, but that's OK. I'm really busy, and making plans to move. Crazy times!!!! If you know anyone on Oahu who needs a roommate, let me know!!! Hehe. After this chapter, they will be separated a bit more, but I couldn't help having it this way, just for all of you who cried over last chapter. Sorry about that!!!**

**Oh, and THANK YOU to everyone who got us well past 500 reviews!!!!! I can't believe it. :-D Here's to the next 500. ;-) **

**Follow me on Twitter and my brand new Blogspot. I have links up on my profile. Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being my rockin' beta!!!**

**Disclaimer: I definitely don't own Twilight. If I did, I would be rich. And I'm definitely not that.**

Each day was torture. Every moment without Alice was simply painful. It didn't matter that we talked on the phone at least three times a day for at least an hour at a time. I missed holding her. I missed her scent surrounding me. I missed her body surrounding me. I missed loving her, being with her, laughing with her, touching her.

The first two weeks were hard to get through. I was counting the seconds until I was back in Washington and with her. I think I was driving Peter crazy with my constant cell phone activity and moping when I wasn't talking with Alice. Apparently, I was acting "bat shit nuts," and Peter couldn't see why I was missing Alice so desperately. Then again, he'd never been separated for more than a few days from Charlotte since they started dating. He couldn't judge until they'd been pulled apart for more than a weekend.

It was as if logic had escaped me. When my parents were dating, my dad was in the military and he was gone for two years, stationed overseas; their only form of communication was letters, because the phone calls were too expensive back in the day. Two years without each other, and yet they made it through, and married soon after my dad got his honorable discharge.

It had been two weeks since I had been with Alice. Obviously, two weeks was nothing in comparison. And yet it seemed like a lifetime since I'd kissed her goodbye in Seattle.

I stared at the ceiling as I held the phone to my face. It was warm; Alice and I had been talking for over an hour now, about school, and homework, and nothing important in general. I just needed to hear her voice, even though I'd see her in less than twenty-four hours.

"I can't wait to see you," she sighed into the phone. "I miss your mouth and hands."

"Is that all?" I teased.

"I suppose I can think of a few other things," she joked. "But only a few others."

"You're going to pay for that," I growled into the phone, hoping she'd miss a whole hell of a lot of other things.

"I hope so," she sighed.

I smirked. "Bet on it."

"What time will you get here?"

"Probably three o'clock," I said. "I have class until ten and then I'll leave as soon as I can after that."

"Good," she said. "I'm not going to class, so I'll be here when you get here."

"Baby, the entire point of this God-forsaken separation is so we get smarter, get a diploma, get good jobs, and have lots of money to send our kids to college someday."

"Aww, you think about things like that?" Alice cooed.

"Yes," I said honestly. Sometimes it scared me how often I thought about our future together. We were young, and hadn't been officially together for that long, and yet it was inevitable that I would find myself thinking about our lives ten, twenty, even fifty years down the line together.

"God, I miss you," she said, and it sounded like she was biting back a lump in her throat. I had never remembered Alice being this emotional before we were together. Apparently I brought out the tears in her. I wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but it sometimes felt nice to know that she missed me just as much as I missed her. "Tomorrow can't come soon enough." Her voice was full of longing.

My mind was made up right then and there. "Okay, give me three hours and I'll be there," I said.

"What?! What about-?"

"Fuck that, I can't take this, I have to be with you," I said fiercely. "Now."

"Drive safe," she said her voice suddenly full of jubilation. She didn't even try to stop me or try to convince me otherwise. "I love you, Jasper."

"I love you, too. See you soon," I said, hanging up. I grabbed my already-packed suitcase and keys, and practically ran out of my apartment towards my car. Peter was out with Charlotte, and wouldn't notice I was gone even if he came back home tonight.

The freeway was mostly clear of traffic, and I booked it onto I-5 without much difficulty. It was evening, and most people were home for the night by now.

The miles went by too slow. I suppose this is usually the case when you have a really important destination. The night was pitch black, and I was only glad the Northwest was enjoying a mild and dry fall. I hated driving on the freeway in the pouring rain.

"_Are we there yet?" Alice whined. She and Rosalie were in the backseat, staring out the windows with disdain. I was gloating because I got to sit in the front seat between Mom and Dad, far away from the stupid girls._

"_We're almost there," my mom said, rubbing the temples of her forehead. Alice had started whining since we hit Portland, which was hours behind us now. We were nearly to Bend, not far from where we were renting a house for a week. Mr. and Mrs. Brandon were gone on some business trip again, so Alice was coming with us. _

_All I wanted to do was go canoeing and maybe convince my dad that nine was definitely old enough to start mountain climbing. _

_All the girls wanted to do was ride horses. Ugh._

"_Those are mean lookin' clouds," my dad said, leaning slightly forward to see the black thunderheads forming ahead of us. We'd just studied weather in school before it let out for the summer, and it still fascinated me. _

_A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, and Alice and Rose shrieked in the backseat. _

"_It's okay, girls," my dad said, and he and I rolled our eyes together. Girls._

_As soon as we wove through the maze of Sunriver's streets, we jumped out of the car only to land straight into fat drops of rain, making the red earth brown. A roll of thunder boomed overhead, and Alice and Rose screamed again, covering their ears. The lightning flashed and the thunder rolled loudly soon after, and I remembered that meant that the storm was close._

_The rain smelled good. It made the Ponderosas release their sweet scent, and even the dirt smelled good. It rained all the time in Forks, but this was different. This was awesome. I stood in the driveway alone, staring up at the dark sky and hoping to see the next bolt of lightning._

_I felt a warm hand curl around mine._

"_Do you like the storm, Jasper?" Alice asked beside me. _

"_Yeah, I do."_

"_Okay, I'll stand with you," she said, gripping my hand tightly in hers as we got soaked by the rain._

_I could hear Rosalie griping under the covered porch, but Alice and I simply tilted our faces towards the sky and let the rain come down._

I made it to Seattle in record time, breaking countless speeding laws in the process. Then again, this was Washington, and breaking laws came second nature to us sometimes.

Alice and Bella's apartment windows were lit as I took a guest parking space, and I couldn't help but notice that Bella's enormous truck wasn't in its space. I smiled. Time alone with my Alice.

As soon as my key shut off the ignition, I was jumping out of the car, and Alice was swinging the door open. Clearly, she had been waiting for me.

"Jasper!" she squealed, running to me. I took several large strides towards her, and finally, _finally, _she was in my arms, and we were kissing, and I felt whole again. Her mouth was nearly as insistent as mine as I plundered her lips, trying to rememorize her taste. My memory was flawed, because I didn't remember it being this good before.

My tongue dipped deep between her lips, and I felt her moan. God, it felt too good. I ran my hands down her body, gripping her tiny bottom in the palms of my hands and dragging her to me. My body was already reacting to her, and I wanted to be totally alone with her, without the chance of the neighbors seeing us. If we didn't move soon, I was likely to push her onto the hood and take her right then and there. And while I was sure she wouldn't mind, I didn't want to create a peep show.

As if she could read my mind, she pulled away and dragged me into her apartment and locked the door firmly behind us.

"We can catch up later," she said breathlessly, already starting to unbutton my shirt.

"Right now, I need you."

I couldn't argue with that. I grabbed her into my arms, swinging her into a bridal hold, hearing her squeak in surprise and feeling her lips against my throat, and walked quickly into her bedroom, kicking the door shut with my foot.

I laid her carefully onto the bed, following on top of her seconds later. I took a moment to rediscover the beauty of her elfin features and glowing hazel eyes. Those eyes were busy studying me, too, even as our hands began to undress each other eagerly.

Soon, we were completely naked, and our hands wandered over each other while our lips and tongues reunited over and over. My hands found purchase in her short, inky black hair, and she sighed into my mouth.

When I slipped inside her, I felt complete again, and somehow I knew she felt the same. Her eyes shut as I buried myself in her, and I nuzzled her neck with my nose. The emotions flowing between us were incredibly overwhelming, in the best ways possible.

"Oh, Jasper," she sighed. Her legs wrapped around my waist, pulling me even closer, and I groaned. She was still so bloody tight, and she felt so good around my cock. That, along with the fact that I hadn't had a proper release since I last saw her, and I was about to explode at any moment.

I'd have to discuss the possibility of phone sex with her sometime soon.

It was a struggle to not cum straight away, but I held on, wanting her to feel just as good as I felt. We went from love making to something close to fucking in seconds, the need for release catching up with us. Our hips worked furiously together, bringing us closer to the edge.

Her breasts crushed against my chest, and I groaned as I felt her hardened nipples against my body.

"I love you," I moaned, overcome with sensation and desire and impending orgasm.

"Oh God, Jasper," she sobbed. "I love you, too." It only took that declaration to push me over the cliff, and I rubbed her clit desperately so she would follow after, which she did, seconds later.

We simply lay there together, panting for our breath and sanity.

"I missed you so much," she said, unwrapping her legs from around me slowly. "I can't even tell you."

"I know what you mean," I said. "I hate being away from you. It doesn't feel right anymore."

"What can we do?" she asked, afterglow momentarily forgotten.

"Let's talk about it later," I said, more than willing to trade talk for holding her at the moment.

She nodded, and as we shifted to hold each other, I was overcome with the feeling of rightness this moment had.

No one ever had, or ever would again have this affect on me.

Alice was The One.

And even though I'd known it all along, the realization rocked through me. She was IT.

It was thrilling, and scary, and amazing, and terrifying all at once.

I held her tighter to tie me down in the storm of emotion that raged through me. Like always, she could get me through this. She was my rock.

She laid tiny kisses up and down the column of my neck, biting down softly in my favorite places. I rolled her on top of me as she continued attacking my neck with vigor.

"What are you, a vampire?" I teased.

"Mmm," she hummed into my neck, slipping my earlobe between her lips and sinking her teeth down gently.

I groaned. The little minx knew I love my neck to be played with, and she was teasing me within inches of my sanity.

God, I love this woman.

"Jasper, I want you," she moaned, the sounds going straight to my already alert cock.

"Well that's good news, because I want you so bad it hurts," I groaned as she ground herself into me.

I helped guide her hips down, letting my dick fill her slowly. I had never been more grateful for birth control than at that moment. The sensations of us bare to each other were beyond belief.

Alice started to ride me, her petite breasts bouncing lightly as we moved in synch with each other. As she looked down at me, the only emotion I could read was that of pure love.

My fingers dug into her hips as we locked eyes, making everything that much more intense. I tried to concentrate on each moment that we were connected like this. She was still so tight, and I could feel each curve of her anatomy this way. It made my eyes roll up into the back of my head as she raked her fingernails up my chest. Each tactile experience heightened the next, and when she grabbed her own breasts in her hands, the visual nearly lost me. She was so beautiful, so confident, and I wasn't sure what I had done to deserve her.

"Touch yourself, honey," I encouraged. She reached down to the place where we were connected, watching the place where I slid in and out of her. I fucking lost it then.

"Ohhhhh, Godddd," she moaned, and I felt her tighten around me. I had to follow after, unable to hold back anymore.

Alice collapsed on top of me, her cropped hair tickling my chin.

"Mmm, so good," she sighed.

"I agree," I said, satiated.

"Let's get some sleep. I have lots of plans for you tomorrow, Mr. Hale."

"Eww. You call my dad that."

"Oh, right." She shuddered. "What should I call you then?"

"Anything but that," I smirked.

"Fine, Mr… Mr… okay, fine, I can't think of anything right now, but I'll come up with something good when my brain isn't mush."

"Mush?" I wiggled my eyebrows playfully.

"Oh, shush you," she murmured, clearly falling asleep now. Her voice was heavy laden with a yawn. "G'night."

"G'night."


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N: Yay, I finally got something written!!! This being said... Please oh please oh PLEASE don't beg me to update. I have just moved to a new state I've never been to before, in a job I have no previous experience with... and I barely have time to sleep let alone write. I do this for fun, and if you beg me to update all the time, it's just not fun anymore. So please, for the love of Jasper and Alice, give me some time. I was able to update every other day when I didn't have a job and had ample time to write, and now I don't... so please bear with me. I love all of you guys, and I'm so happy you read this. I do this for you guys, and for myself. **

**This hasn't been beta-d at all. So blame me if if bites. Sorry Lea! Just wanted to get it out there. Mahalo!**

**Disclaimer: Alas, it still isn't mine.**

"Do we really have to talk?" Alice complained. She always got whiny when she got interrupted. In this case, I was interrupting a particularly heavy make out session. Her lips were berry red from the pressure of my lips, held in a natural pout, and her eyes were dark and hooded and far too seductive.

I very nearly caved in. It was hard to resist a face like that. I pressed a few more chaste kisses to her lips, and pulled back.

It had been bothering me for hours, and I wanted to talk it through. We could resume our… activities soon after.

"Do you want me to transfer?" I asked point blank.

It took her a minute to answer. "Huh?"

"Schools. Do you want me to come to U Dub?"

"No," she said, and I felt my face fall. I hadn't expected her to answer so quickly, so sure. "Let me explain," she said, just as fast. "I know you love PSU. You love the city, you love what you do-" I started to protest, and she shook her head. "You might not like what career path you've chosen, but you love that school. Don't bother to deny it."

"Fine, I won't," I said begrudgingly. "But I love you more."

"And you'll have me much longer than you'll have that school," she said. "And I don't want you to resent me when we're old and grey and you didn't get to finish this year."

I thought about that. There was a reason I chose PSU instead of U Dub, and not just because it was further away from home. I may not want to do what my parents expect me to do with my degree, but I still loved what I studied, and had a hard time picturing myself anywhere else.

And yet…

"I can't live without you," I said, still resolved to make this better.

"Then I'll come to Portland-"

"No, you love what you do," I protested. "And I can't stop you from-"

"I can draw a damn picture anywhere," she said. "Do you think I want to live without you, either? That it's easy for me, now that we're FINALLY together, to be apart each day and night? Fuck no, it isn't easy. I reach for you, and you're not there, and I cry. Bella's worried about me sometimes, I think. She stays home with me when she should be out with Edward. I hate making her feel obligated."

I looked at her, trying to read her face. She really meant it. She really wanted to be with me.

"So… what are you saying?" I asked to clarify.

"I want to move to Portland with you," she said, face full of sincerity and hope. "I'll transfer, drop out, whatever it takes."

"Transfer," I said immediately. "You have to graduate, Alice. I won't let you give that up for me. No way."

"It won't be until the end of the semester, then," she said, sounding sad again.

"Can we survive that long?" I teased.

"Of course," she said with a smile. "You're not THAT appealing, Jasper Hale."

"Oh, I'm not, am I?" I raised my eyebrows at her in mock disbelief.

"Nahh," she said, rolling onto her back. I followed, covering her body with mine and planting a big wet kiss on her cheek, then her neck.

"Tell me I'm sexy," I said, continuing to lay trails of wet, overenthusiastic kisses all over her.

"Eww, you're gross!" she giggled, but she held my shoulders to her instead of pushing me away. "Jasperrrrr."

"Say it and I'll stop," I said, holding her hands captive between us now.

This is what I wanted. Just Alice and me, being with each other. It wasn't just the physical, thought that was nice, but everything else in between.

I'd rather fight with her and be beside her than miserably happy and apart.

Apparently, I'd spaced out for too long, because now she was the one attacking me, her tiny tongue lapping at my neck, her teeth and lips bearing down on me, marking me. Her fingernails dug into my arms, making me feel like she was really desperate to hold on, like I might disappear on her.

As if that would ever happen.

I laid long, languorous kisses across her lips, neck, and collarbone, hearing her gasp and moan as I went out of my way to mark her with my lips, teeth and tongue. _Mine, _I thought greedily. _Always mine._

"I can't wait for December," she moaned into my neck, playing with the hair that curled there. "Can we live together?"

"Of course," I groaned. "Where else would you go? We'll kick out Peter and have the place to ourselves… to make love wherever and whenever we want…"

She moaned in approval, bucking her hips up against me. Sure, we were insatiable before, but now it was getting ridiculous. In the best way possible, of course. I could never get enough of her, not ever.

Hours and hours later, we were curled up in each other, unwilling to leave the bed just yet. I had to leave in the morning, as depressing as it was to think about. The weekend had been amazing, primarily sequestered into her tiny bedroom, making out, having outrageous sex, and simply talking and loving each other. Bella always teased us when we finally emerged for food, showers, and general socialization, and I really couldn't have cared less. Her weird boyfriend, who I'd met in Forks, made fun of us, too, but from what Alice had told me, he'd been a prude for the vast majority of his relationship with Bella, so I highly doubted they'd ever had the same lovey-dovey experience. Poor guy. Cockblocking himself. Shame.

"So, I'm going to talk with my advisor tomorrow about transferring," she said into my neck. "I'm sure he's going to throw a fit, especially since this is my last year, and he'll go on and on about credits… but even if it takes me an extra year or whatever, I'm going to do it."

"Are you sure?" I said, playing with the end of her hair. I wondered briefly what color hair our kids would have, with my dirty blonde crap and her raven strands. Brunette? Redhead? I internally laughed at myself, thinking about kids long before its due time.

"I'm sure," she said, voice steady. "I want to be with you, Jasper. I _have _to be. It's like… a physical need."

I knew exactly what she meant. It was like she was magnetic. I wondered how I'd missed it before. How I'd ever lived without knowing its eternal and complete hold on me. I knew exactly when I'd first felt it.

_She looked so sad, sitting there on the back porch swing, still looking as tiny and vulnerable as the first time I had to protect her on the bark dust covered playground. _

_My body was still vibrating with strange, unfamiliar sensations… Who was this Garrett guy, anyway? I highly doubted he was good enough for my Alice. After all, he met her in a bar. What kind of good guy hits on girls in bars? Oh yeah. Every guy. And that's how I met Maria…_

_I tried not to think about her. I had my doubts about her, and I was starting to believe that I was playing second violin to someone else._

_Mind back to Alice. I sank down on the swing next to her, and she immediately curled into my arms. The way she always had. The thing that felt so right and natural. And then… then her mouth was inches from my neck, and for the first time in my life, my heart pounded, aware of how close she was. Her touch sent my body into some sort of bizarre shockwaves, and I was totally and utterly confused. This was… Alice. _Alice. _My little sister… no._

_I wasn't dumb enough to truly believe she was like my little sister anymore. After all, I'd had fantasies about kissing her since we were teenagers, and had more than a few dreams that were definitely rated X. In fact, all it would take would be her swinging her leg over my lap and…_

_Whoa. Gotta get that thought out, Hale. Definitely not OK. Maria, Maria, Maria…_

_And yet I couldn't help from brushing a few kisses on her head, and somehow wishing, deep down, that it could be more. It was so, so wrong, and yet incredibly right. We stayed like that for I don't know how long, my body reacting in strange new ways I couldn't quite pin down, and I never would have stopped if it weren't for Rosalie calling Alice away. _

_My arms felt cold when she was gone. Empty._

"This feels too right to throw away," I agreed. "And if I don't have to live without you, I won't."

She sighed. "We're unbelievable, you know that? We've only been together a few months…"

"And yet it feels like forever," I concluded.

She nodded. "Jasper, I-" She paused, looking down as if to gather her thoughts. "I never knew it could be like this. I mean, not really. I always hoped… imagined… but I never knew…"

"Me either," I said, brushing a kiss on top her head.

Her phone trilled loudly then, and we groaned in unison. I don't know why we kept the damned things on. They were always interrupting the best moments in life… those in which Alice and I were naked and seconds away from fucking like crazy animals.

"Hello?" Alice answered, a cross look on her face. "What do you want, Rose?"

I traced the curve of her hip with my hand as she listened to my sister. She sounded excited, but I was positive it had something to do with a sale she'd gone to at Victoria's Secret or something. Not that I wanted to think about my sister in underwear. Eww.

So when Alice gasped, I automatically assumed it had to do with my combination of killer touch and killer kisses to the shoulder. I wasn't pleased with she pried herself away from me and sat up quickly, though I'm not going to lie, I liked the view a lot. Alice was completely naked, and still rosy from the orgasm I'd just given her not twenty minutes ago.

"What?! Are you sure?!" she shouted, and then I realized things weren't OK. "Positive? How many did you take?"

Oh fuck. A million different diseases went through my head. Had Emmett given her a VD or something? He was bigger than me, but I thought I could take the fucker if I had to. Family pride and all that.

"Oh Rose," Alice sobbed. "I'm so happy for you!"

Whoa, wait, what? What in the fuck do you take tests for that you end up happy with a positive…?

Oh shit.

I knew, right then and there, what was going on.

And I wasn't happy.

"Give me the phone," I growled, startling Alice. I felt bad about that, but I was past caring at that moment.

She handed the phone silently, the smile faltering on her face as she took in my expression.

"You let him knock you up?" I demanded without saying hello.

Rosalie sighed. "It's not like that, Jasper…"

"Save it, Rose. Are you crazy? Fucking _insane? _Pregnant? Seriously? What where you _thinking?_"

"Yes, I am, and I'm very happy about it, so don't you dare ruin this for me, Jasper Whitlock Hale," she said sternly, but I could also hear her voice waver slightly at the end, and I knew she was holding back tears.

"But-" She had to understand.

"But nothing!" she exclaimed. "I love Emmett. I know you know that. You've seen us together, how right we are. I'm sure you've figured out that he loves me, too, or you wouldn't have let him hang out with you all summer, buddy buddy. He's a good man, and we were already planning on getting married when I graduated. This is a surprise, but this baby is wanted. I just hope she or he has an uncle when all is said and done."

There were times when I was reminded of just how strong and stubborn my twin is. Today was no exception. I knew there was nothing I could say that would change her mind, and though I still thought she was foolish, there was nothing more I could do.

"Congratulations," I mumbled. "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you," she said stiffly.

We hung up awkwardly after that, and I looked up to see that Alice was staring at me with tears shining in her eyes.

"I can't believe you talked to her like that," she said in a cool, even voice. "Your own sister. Your own _twin. _She was happy, and you took that away from her. She loves Emmett, and if they're going to have a baby together, you should be happy for her."

"Don't tell me how to feel, Alice," I said just as evenly. "I love her, and I want everything to work out for her. How long has she really known Emmett? A few months? How well could she possibly know him, to say that they're going to be together forever with a kid? She's a senior in college, and she needs to be finishing school, not thinking about cribs and diapers and morning sickness and _marriage_." I tried not to make the word sound venomous, particularly because I'd thought about it a lot lately for us.

"We've only been together for a few months," she said sadly. "Does that mean that we shouldn't be ready for 'forever', either? That we're just dumb kids who don't know what we're doing?"

"No, of course not."

"Then don't you dare discount her feelings. Otherwise you're just discounting _us."_

She got up from the bed and started pulling on clothes. Shit.

"You're not pregnant, Alice. We're careful, we're OK. And you and I both know we're not ready for that yet. Plus, we've known each other forever…"

"Right now, that is neither here nor there," she said, pulling on pants without underwear. I tried very hard not to think about how hot that was. "I'm going out now. Rosalie deserves celebration. You know she's wanted this her whole life, and after her accident, she thought she couldn't…"

Fuck. Alice was right. This was Rosalie's miracle baby. In high school, she'd been in a pretty rough car accident, and the doctors had predicted it would be nearly impossible for her to get pregnant after her injuries. So of course she was excited about this baby, the one she thought would never come…

I'm such a dick.

Alice was gone out of the apartment in a flash, door slamming behind her, and I prayed desperately that she wouldn't be gone long. This was our first fight as a couple, but I was leaving tomorrow, and I couldn't bear to think about her mad at me while we were separate. I wanted to make this better.

Damn it. I'd gone into big brother mode, and instead of helping, it had made everything worse. I'm such a jerk.

Less than a half an hour ago, I was fantasizing about what Alice and my children would look like… and then I'm snapping at my sister for having the same thing I wanted, the one thing she'd wanted her whole life. Rose always the little girl with baby dolls, carrying them around like they were the real deal, and had always been baby sitting and working as a nanny while she was in school and during summers. Babies were a big deal for her. And I had been snappy and accusing, when I should have been happy and supportive and excited.

I'm going to be an uncle.

That was pretty cool.


	24. Chapter 23

**A/N: Wow, a lot of you guys were pissed at Jasper!!! Go easy on him guys, he's just being a big brother. Thanks so much for the great response and all the understanding. I really appreciate the non-pressure, it helps me out when life is already choking me with stress!!! I think we're winding down here, but there's still more Jasper has to say, so we're not quite done. :-) Lots of love goes out to LittleLea05 for getting this back to me so quick!!! Thanks m'dear!!!**

**Check out my blog and add me on Twitter!!! Links on my profile. :-)**

**Disclaimer: Only the plot belongs to me, and even then, it's just for shits and giggles.**

Alice came back late that night, and I could tell she was incredibly apprehensive of me. For the first time in our relationship, there was tension, thick and oppressive, and not of the sexual variety. I didn't know what to say, and apparently neither did she. I flipped off the TV as she came into the living room, throwing down her bag and keys.

"I suppose we should talk," she sighed, sinking on the opposite side of the couch as me. It hurt to see her unwilling to talk to me, or even look at me. Even before we were together, conversation had never really been an issue of any kind. But I had been an ass, and I knew I deserved it.

"Yes, we do. I need to apologize to you, Alice."

"Not to me, to Rose."

"To both of you. Rose didn't deserve me to snap at her like that, especially since I knew she always wanted to be a mother. And you…"

Her face was stony, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitching, trying not to twist into a grimace. Her eyes shimmered with tears. My heart broke to see her like this. I only ever wanted to make her happy in this life, and at this moment, I was failing miserably.

"I just want everyone to be happy," she said softly. "I love all of you, so much. And I just want everything to be okay…"

"It will be," I soothed. "I spoke before I thought. I should have known Rose would be happy about this… I should have been happy for her, right away without question. But she's my sister, and I feel protective over her, you know? And I just want what's best for her. Sometimes I forget how much she loves Emmett, and how much he seems to love her. And if she wants this baby…"

"It's what's best for her," she finished.

"I realize it now," I admitted. "So I need to apologize to her. I mean… I'm going to be an uncle. That's pretty fucking cool, now that I think about it." I smiled at her.

She smiled back, edges of doubt still hidden in there, but the light reached her eyes, and I felt like maybe I could inch closer to her on the couch now. I held my arms open, hoping she'd fall into them. I practically begged her with my eyes, needing to hold her again. I hated that she was upset in any capacity, especially since it was my fault.

"I'm going to be an auntie," she said, sliding towards me and leaning into me. Better than nothing, I supposed. "I can't wait."

Again, the image of me and her, sitting on a big comfy couch in our own home, with a kid or two curled up with us popped into my head. We'd put the kids to bed, and then go back to our own bed where we could make love and maybe make another baby.

These visions were starting to freak me out; not for content, but for frequency. It seemed like nowadays I was always thinking about family and marriage and all those domestic things… and then I had gone and freaked out on Rose for wanting, and getting, those same things. Truly, I was a douche.

"Can you forgive me?" I asked, hopeful.

"Of course," she said, snuggling into me a bit more. "It would be hard for me to stay mad at you for long."

"I'll keep that in mind," I joked. "I never want to discount you… us," I said more seriously. "Never. I don't want you to ever feel that way ever again."

Her nose buried itself in my neck. "Never again."

"I promise."

I held her, pulling her closer to my body as we both pondered the things going on in our heads. Life was pulling us in all sorts of bizarre and unexpected directions, and while I was sure we'd be able to deal with them, it was a lot to absorb. I stroked her back and brushed kisses against the top of her head, and she sighed in what sounded like contentment.

We must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was waking up with Alice curled up against my chest, moaning in her sleep. Her body was moving against mine in some pretty fuckawesome ways, and my lower half was definitely alert and ready for her. After all, I was going to be leaving in a few short hours for Portland. I didn't want to waste any time with her at all.

"Alice… Alice," I hissed, moving her so that was she was lying directly on top of me, gaining all the benefits of such a position. Her dream continued, stoking my waking desires. "Alice, honey, please…"

She moaned again, but this time it was because she was waking up. "Wha?" she asked sleepily. "Jazz?"

"I'm here, darlin'," I gasped, because her hips were still doing delicious things against mine. My hands grabbed her and tried to control her movements… either end this torture now, or make it just a little bit worse before it got better. Either one.

"I was having the best dream," she sighed.

"I can make it reality for you, if you want," I whispered into her ear, and I felt her shiver against me. "Where do we start?"

"Well…" she said, stretching fully against me and purposefully wiggling her hips. "I believe my hands were on the bedpost, and your hands were on my hips…"

I groaned, already picking up on what my girl was implying. "Was I buried inside you from behind?" I asked, and she moaned in agreement. Our mouths met together, and I rolled us, forgetting that we weren't in a bed.

We fell to the ground, and luckily it wasn't a far trip, because I fell on top of her.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, and I tried to bring my body up and off of hers before I could inflict more damage.

"Shit, are you okay?" I asked, trying to make sure she hadn't hurt her ribs or elbows or head or anything. No blood, nothing broken…

Alice started to giggle, and I relaxed. "You should see your face," she laughed, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her lips sought mine, and I couldn't help but kiss her enthusiastically. "I'm not _that _fragile, Jasper."

"I'll keep that in mind," I growled, and she whimpered. "You were saying about a bedpost?"

"The back of the couch should work, too," she said. "So long as Bella doesn't come home early."

"Well that's just a risk we're just going to have to take," I said, "if I'm going to make your dream come true."

"That sounds SO cheesy, and yet SO good," she moaned, sitting up. "Come on, take me, Jasper."

We kissed as we struggled to stand. When my hands went to pull her clothes away, she stopped me. "Leave them on," she said. "We don't have time."

Fuuuuck me. Did she have any idea how sexy that was?

Her hands planted firmly on the back of the couch, and she looked over her shoulder at me. My mouth was already watering. Her cute little butt was just perched out there, waiting for me to grab and perhaps even spank should I get so lucky.

My God, I loved this woman. And needed her, as the tightness in my pants indicated. I wasted no time in unbuttoning my pants and freeing myself, and she did the same, pushing her pants down around her ankles so she could spread out for me. I fingered her folds for a moment, feeling just how wet she had become from her dream, and groaned.

"God, you're so wet," I gasped, and she pushed her hips back towards me, begging for more.

"Fuck me," she said, looking back at me again, straight into my eyes and making my body tighten with need already. "Please, Jasper."

"With pleasure," I said, and brought my ready cock to her after a few quick pumps, and then eased inside her slowly, feeling each and every inch of her. She was still so incredibly tight, and it was driving me insane.

"Faster," she demanded. "More."

"I've barely even started," I promised, and pulled back so only the tip of my cock was still inside her. Then I slammed back into her, hearing her moan with approval. I highly approved as well. She felt so good, so wet and ready for me.

I thrust harder and harder, feeling her body tighten around me already, both of us pretty close to climax already. Each thrust made the couch move, as her hands pushed against it hard, trying to gain leverage. I could feel her stomach quiver as I placed a hand firmly against it, trying to support her as I slammed into her over and over, and rubbed her clit with my other hand.

"Oh fuck! Jasper!" she shouted, and moments later, she was cumming all around me, and I was fighting off my own impending climax, trying to prolong hers as much as possible. I finally gave in and spilled inside her, going still and feeling every muscle in my body relax.

My hands moved up her body, quickly groping her clothed breasts and kissing the back of her neck before pulling out. We both groaned in disapproval. I always hated breaking the connection between our bodies. I was tied to her, and she to me, and I never wanted it to end. Especially now, when I had to go.

"My legs are still shaky," she said, turning around and leaning against the couch. Her cheeks were flushed, and because she was still bottomless, I could see how she was still aroused and ready. I'd have to strip her down and take her into the bedroom to finish this. I felt myself stiffen again just looking at her like that, wet and swollen for me. My stamina was incredible when it came to Alice.

So I did just that. I scooped her into my arms and carried her into the bedroom, kissing her as I tried to move into the bedroom. It was difficult, because my pants were still around my ankles, but we made it to the bedroom and then I showed her just how much I would miss her in the next few weeks.

* * *

The drive back to Portland was horrible. The weather matched my mood: cloudy, grey, and torrential. I-5 was no picnic to drive, and every mile brought me further and further from Alice. We hadn't discussed all the details of her transfer, and we weren't even sure if it was realistic, but I irrationally fantasized about how we'd never have to part. I could go home to her each day, sleep beside her at night, every single night, and I couldn't wait.

Maybe I could bring my motorcycle down with me, and could take a trip down the coast. I knew the perfect place to take her… maybe as an anniversary trip or something. We could take trips to Mt. Hood, down the Gorge, maybe to Bend again… Definitely wine country. I could just imagine taking her on a wine tour and then getting a hotel someplace… okay, fine. Call me a perv, wanting to get my girlfriend drunk and then fuck her silly. Yes, yes, I wanted that. It's not like it wouldn't be consensual…

I was lost in thoughts of her move. Was it December yet? I couldn't wait for the end of the semester, to find some place and move in, just the two of us. I was sure Peter wouldn't mind. These days, Charlotte practically lived with us, and unless something horrible happened, the two of them were in it as much as Alice and I were: for the long haul.

Maybe we could get a place downtown, not too far from my place now, with a view of Mt. St. Helens, or maybe even Mt. Hood… or both…

See, I was definitely getting into "giddy" territory, a place usually reserved just for my gorgeous, wonderful girlfriend. Apparently her body wasn't the only thing rubbing off on me. And speaking of rubbing, I was already itching to rub her back, in that one spot that drove her crazy. I loved feeling her writhe below (or above) me, unable to control her body with each passing stroke.

And now I was horny again, with no outlet for it but my hand. Fuck.

My cell rang, and I bravely answered it, daring to take one hand off the death grip I had on the steering wheel. I hated to drive in the rain, no matter how used to it I was. "Hello?"

"I miss you already," she breathed, needing no other introduction. "Is it December yet?"

I laughed. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"You're sweet," Alice said, and I could just picture how she looked down shyly as she said it. I think most of the time she was still trying to believe that this was real, that I really loved her the way she loved me. It was unbelievable for me to think that she could love me that much and I'd only had these feelings for a relatively short amount of time. She'd had years to think about it.

"Listen, I'm about to go through a tunnel, so if I cut out, that's why," I said, eyeing the small tunnel up ahead. It was better lit than the rest of the open road, since it was raining sideways as I crossed over the Columbia.

"Okay," she said, and seconds later, I was saying her name over and over, with no response. I passed out of the tunnel, and waited for her to call me back.

It didn't take long for my cell to ring again, and I answered with, "Sorry, darlin'."

"Sorry about what?" said a female voice, but it definitely wasn't Alice on the other end. My heart thumped hard once, and not in a good way.

My eyes narrowed even as I tried to navigate the rainy roads. "Maria."

"Hi Jasper," she said in her breathy voice, so different than the vital, melodic voice of Alice. She sounded like a combination of a smoker and Jessica Rabbit. Until Alice, I had always imagined it was sexy. Now it just sounded… comical.

"What do you want, Maria?"

"Is that any way to talk to an old friend?" she pouted, and I fought back a cruel laugh.

"Friend, huh?"

"Well, I'd say lover, but something tells me you wouldn't like that."

"You guessed right," I said sarcastically. "So why are you calling me?"

"I just wanted to see what you were up to…" she said, trailing off her voice at the end, and suddenly it clicked. Booty call.

"Yeah, definitely not up to 'hanging out'," I said. "That ship sailed long ago."

"Oh, come on, just one night," she said. "I miss you."

"Not going to happen, not now, not ever again," I said firmly. "Why don't you call that Caius guy? It seemed like he was a pretty good 'friend' for you, too."

I could practically hear her frown. I knew exactly what face she was making right now, and it disgusted me. She was probably wearing that shiny lip-gloss she always thought was sexy.

Why in the fuck was I ever interested in her?

"That's all over now," she said dismissively. "I'm done with him."

I snorted. "That's familiar."

"Listen, Jasper, I don't want anything from you. Just a few hours of your time… and your pants on the floor."

"Maria, I have a girlfriend," I said, impatient with her now. Clearly, she wasn't as easy to get rid of as when we were still together. That conversation had lasted all but ten minutes.

"And she's The One. So please, leave me the hell alone, and don't bother to call back." My mama had raised me with better manners, and I could have been more polite, but I was frustrated, and Maria simply wasn't getting it.

"Oh," she said, sounding genuinely surprised. "The One?"

"Yeah," I said, spotting my exit and taking it. Almost home… "She's it for me, and I'm sorry, there's nothing more we can have to say to each other."

"I'm happy for you, Jasper," she said, the breathiness in her voice gone. "You're very lucky. _She's_ very lucky."

"Thanks," I mumbled. "You… be happy now, okay?"

"I'll do my best," she said, and I think it was the first genuine conversation we'd ever had in the three years I'd known her. "Bye Jasper. Don't let her go."

"I'm not planning on it," I said. "Bye Maria."

I slammed the phone shut, and drove to my parking garage, finding a spot and pulling in.

My apartment was dark, but I could see light shining from underneath Peter's door. Charlotte laughed, and I didn't bother to say hi. If the situations were reversed, and it were me and Alice, I'd strangle Peter for knocking.

My bed was cold and uninviting. It was almost literally the last place on earth I wanted to be… unless of course Alice were here, and then it would be paradise. I realized I hadn't called her back when the phone cut off, and I hit number one on speed dial.

"Jasper, I was so worried," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I thought you crashed or something."

"I'm so sorry, honey," I said, trying to soothe her. "It was raining hard, and I needed to concentrate." There was no reason to tell Alice about my call with Maria. There was no threat there, and I didn't want Alice to be upset. I know that if she had an ex who called her up for meaningless sex, I'd freak the fuck out and kill somebody, and Alice is pretty feisty, so…

She sighed in relief. "Good. I want you to come back to me, every time."

"I'll do my best," I said, kicking off my shoes. "Two weeks then?"

"One week," she said, determined. "I'm coming to see you."

Suddenly, my bed wasn't so bad.

**A/N II: Now, before you guys freak out at me... This is something Jasper has to go through, he's not going to tell Alice because it's not an issue she needs to know about. Do you tell your current partner about encounters with exes? This isn't going to harm their relationsihp in the least, so please don't worry or freak out. I promise, this was just something that had to happen, and now we can all be resolved of the Maria issue. Calm thoughts....**


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N: Wow, your responses for last chapter made me laugh, I have to say. Half of you thought that Jasper was going to die in an accident, and the other thought that Maria was some sort of ninja stalker. Not really... but you know what I mean. First off, car accidents have been themes of a few of my fics already, and I don't want to repeat stuff over and over. Second, I'm from Oregon, so I know ALL about driving in weather like that. We have to on a daily basis, and most of the time we're just fine. Anyways... as for Maria, I wanted to show that she was a romantic deep down, and now that Jasper has his One, she's not going to stand in his way. She's a nice person, deep down. **

**This all being said, this story is definitely winding down. I predict less than 5 chapters, though I don't know for sure just yet. I'm working on the next one right now, so hopefully it'll be up soon. Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being awesome and super speedy. :-) I would really love it if we could get past 700 reivews this time around!!!! I'm super duper sick right now, so it'd make my day really special.**

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**Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine. The rest belongs to SM.**

_Rosalie, I'm sorry._

_Congratulations, Rose, I'm so happy for you._

_Rosalie, this is wrong…_

Gah! I threw the phone back down on my couch, and it landed with a dull thud. While I still appreciated the fact that I was going to be an uncle to the baby that no one thought would come, I was still upset.

I thought about asking her to consider it from my end… If I had gotten Alice pregnant, no matter how much I loved her, I knew that I would have found myself on the business end of Rosalie's fist. Alice had told me about the true reason for her fight with Rose during the summer, and I couldn't help but laugh that the hypocriticalness of the situation. It was okay for Rose to get mad and protective, but not me?

Emmett was just lucky that he was a huge guy, because otherwise I would have kicked his sorry ass for knocking up my sister. I still wanted to, but he could hurt me more than any damage I could ever inflict on him.

I picked up the phone again, and took a deep breath. It had been two days since our disastrous phone call, and I needed to get this over with. Alice was killing me with the hints, threatening to withhold sex from me this weekend if I wasn't good and make nice with my sister.

I finally took a deep breath and dialed, praying all the while that I wasn't about to make even more of an ass of myself than before.

"Hello?" Rose said wearily. "Jasper?"

"Hiya sis," I said, trying to sound sheepish and apologetic. "How are you?"

"Still pregnant," she said dryly. "Still have comments about that?"

"Yes, actually," I said, clearing my throat. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry for flying off the handle at you like that. However, I'm not going to apologize for what I said."

I heard her squeak with surprise. "What?!"

"Hear me out," I said. "I hate that he got you pregnant… now. I just want what's best for you, sis, and how much could you actually know this guy? I mean really? And you're so young…"

I heard her sob. Fuck, I'd made it worse.

"But," I added quickly. "I couldn't be happier for you, either."

"Jasper, you're not making any sense," she said, and she was right. I wasn't. Still, she had to know how conflicted I was about all this.

"I know," I agreed. "But I'm happy that you finally have what you've always wanted. I should have thought that over before I went off at you. You didn't deserve that. If you're happy… then I want to be happy for you, too."

"Jasper, I think you need to get your head checked," she half laughed, half cried.

"You're probably right," I said with a laugh. "I just… needed to say that. I'm your big brother. I just want what's best for you, you know?"

"Just don't tell me what's right or wrong for me, okay? I think I know how to make these decisions for myself. I want this baby, I want Emmett… forever. And you can't tell me otherwise."

"I accept that," I said after a moment. She was right, to a certain degree. We were both right, and we were both wrong. I guess we'd just have to accept that as best we could.

We chatted for awhile longer, and then hung up peacefully. I really didn't want to stay angry with her, and I knew she felt the same way, even when it often seemed that she thrived off of conflict.

"_Maaaaaaaa," Rosalie whined. "Jasper took all my toys!"_

_I stood in the living room, holding a large Lego piece and a teddy bear in my arms. "I didn't either!" I shouted, kicking another yellow Lego at her general direction. "Rose is a LIAR!"_

"_Kids, will you _please," _my mom begged, clearly tired of our antics. "Alice is coming over soon, and I don't want you two fighting."_

"_Alice won't care," Rose shrugged, playing with the Barbie in the two piece bikini as if she were a drumstick on the floor. "She only comes to see Jasper," she smirked._

_My seven year old body tensed up. "NUH UH!" I yelled, throwing the things out of my arms and glaring at Rosalie. "She does NOT!"_

"_Yes she does, she loooooooves you, Jasper," Rose taunted, a huge smile on her face. "She wants to MARRY you!"_

"_Eww, gross!" I yelled, covering my ears and running out of the room. Alice did NOT love me. And I would NEVER marry her, not in a million years._

Funny how things change that way, I mused.

The next week passed slowly, as it always did. Alice was coming down on Friday afternoon, after I had convinced her she needed to go to class first. She reluctantly agreed, promising to get to Portland in time for us to go out to dinner.

I couldn't wait to see my girl again. It was weird being without her. There was a definite hole in my heart when she wasn't there, and she was the only thing in this world that could fill it up. I just wasn't complete without her.

I ran the idea of moving out with Peter, and he seemed thrilled. Apparently, he was planning on proposing to Charlotte after graduation, and he wanted to live with her first. So it would work out just great for everyone if Alice and I found our own place.

I contemplating buying a ring for Alice. Would she want to be engaged so soon?

Of course she would. I'm pretty sure she had been planning our wedding since we were ten or something. I had no clear memories of any such thing, but Alice was Alice. She'd planned our high school graduation party during junior year.

She'd probably see the ring and say something like, "Took you long enough."

Thursday night, I didn't have a lot going on. Peter was out with Charlotte, and I had nothing immediate to study for. TV was boring, books held no interest to me. I wanted Alice. She was getting here tomorrow, but I didn't think I could wait. They were turning blue, my balls. My right hand just didn't do it for me anymore. Only Alice could make it happen.

I dialed her number, and found myself holding my breath until she answered.

"Hi baby," she finally said, and I sighed in relief. Her voice was so sweet and magical, just as magical as she was herself. "How are you?"

"Not good without you," I mumbled.

"Aww, honey, I know," she said, clearly just as upset about it as I was. "I hate this, too. But hey, I see you tomorrow."

"It's not soon enough," I growled. I could hear her practically frown.

"I thought you said that you wanted me to go to class tomorrow. You made that pretty clear, Jasper…"

"I do want you to go," I assured her. "But…"

"But?"

"But I was hoping to have some alone time with you now."

"Jasper Hale, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"That I want to have hot, ravenous phone sex with you right now? Yes, that's what I'm saying."

"That's what I was hoping," she breathed. "So, what are you wearing?"

I laughed despite myself. "Kind of cliché, isn't it?"

"I've never done this before," she protested. "Let me get the hang of it."

"I've never done this before, either," I assured her. "Just say what feels right."

"Well, right now I'm sitting on my bed in my Pjs," she said, "wishing you were here beside me."

"What would you have me do if I were there?" I asked huskily. Even though her words weren't necessarily sexy, I felt the need in them, and couldn't help but feel myself harden in my boxers just thinking about what we were about to do.

"I would have you kiss me," she said softly. "Kiss me like I was the only thing in the universe."

"You are," I said, softly. "I love kissing you. The things you do with your tongue… Make me so hard for you. Then what?"

"Then I'd have you take off my clothes. I want to feel your skin against mine."

"Your skin is so soft," I groaned, imagining her body beneath my hands, "So sweet smelling. Like vanilla. I just want to devour you when you smell like that."

"Mmm," she sighed. "Your hands feel so good on me. I feel so cared for, so loved when you touch me. You set me on fire, you make me want you so bad, I can't breathe."

"I want to be naked with you," I sighed, my erection now straining against the fabric of my boxers, impatient for friction. "Can I be naked with you?"

I heard a rustling over the phone, and realized Alice was now stripped down for me.

"Yes, please," she sighed. "I'm naked now, and my body is so hot. So ready for you."

"Fuck, Alice," I groaned, tugging off my own shirt and boxers so I lay on the bed naked, too. "Darlin', you have no idea what you're doing to me right now."

"I've only just started," she teased, and I groaned again. She was going to be the death of me, and boy, what a way to go. "Are you hard for me, Jasper?"

"So hard," I said, fighting off the urge to touch myself just yet. I wanted this to last longer. "Only for you."

"I'm soaking wet," she told me frankly. "I ache to feel you deep inside me, to feel you fill me up till I'm whole. It's only been you, Jasper, you're the only one…"

My body was about to rebel against me, my hands twitching towards my cock, which was now oozing precum for my girl. "I want to be inside you so bad. Darlin', touch yourself for me, okay?"

"How?" she asked. "Tell me Jasper. What would you do to me?"

"I'd slide two fingers inside you. Fuck, you're so wet. Are you wet for me, Alice?"

She moaned. "So wet, Jasper. My panties are soaked clear through. I need you inside me."

"Patience, darlin'," I said, my voice getting deeper and deeper as the conversation went on. My erection was very nearly painful, and I was having a hard time (literally) performing regular bodily acts, such as breathing. "Are you playing with yourself?"

Silence. "Alice?"

"What?" she asked, sounding unfocused.

"Are you touching yourself?" I asked, chuckling. It was clear that she was, but was so into it, she hadn't realized I was speaking.

"Yes, and it feels so good, but not nearly as good as if you were here," she admitted. "My fingers aren't big enough, it doesn't feel like you."

My ego swelled five times its regular size. "Play with your clit, honey."

I could practically hear her blush into the phone. We weren't used to speaking to each other like this, and I knew that she was already nervous as is about this phone sex business. It would have felt dirty, but I loved her too much for any of it to be wrong, if that made any sense.

"Please, Alice," I coaxed.

"God, Jasper, it feels so good," she moaned, clearly following my directions. "Are you touching yourself, love?"

My hand grasped my cock firmly, and I grunted with pleasure. It was so hard and sensitive, and hearing her sounds of pleasure on the other end of the phone was clearly having an effect on me. "God, Ali, I wish it were your hand, your mouth."

"Jasper," she sighed. "I miss you."

"Tomorrow, honey," I promised, my hand moving faster and faster on my cock, palming the head and stroking myself hard, imagining I was deep inside her. Still so tight…

"Jasper, I'm so close," she whimpered, and I could almost hear her hand moving against her slick folds. I held my breath, trying to see if I could hear the blessed sound. I might have, had it not been for Alice's deep and throaty moan, signaling her release. "Fuck!" she shouted, tiny mewls and whimpers escaping her throat.

I couldn't take it anymore. It was all too much; the need, the sounds, the feel of my hand. I came hard, spurts across my hands and belly. I moaned, letting her know I was right there with her. "Fuck, Alice," I said, low in my throat. "That was…"

"Yeah," she sighed. "An almost acceptable alternative."

"Almost," I agreed. "That was pretty damn hot."

"Mmm hmm," she sighed, and I could hear her settle deeper into her bed. "I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Me either," I said eagerly, cleaning myself up and laying down in bed. I imagined she was curled up right beside me, warming me in every sense of the word. I imagined waking up next to her each morning, and suddenly December seemed like a lifetime away.

"Jasper?" Alice's sweet voice interrupted my thoughts, bringing me back to her in the present. The future would have to wait.

"Yes my love?"

"I was just saying that I'll try to be there around five tomorrow. Class gets out at two, and I've already packed, so I'll leave straight from class."

"Great," I said. "I'll be waiting."

We talked for another hour, about absolutely nothing important, but because it was Alice, it was all important. Eventually, her voice got softer and softer, and I could tell she was falling asleep.

"Alice?" I asked, testing my theory.

"Wha? Yeah, what?"

Yeah, she was definitely falling asleep.

"Get some rest, honey. I have a lot in store for you tomorrow, and I wouldn't want you to be tired for it," I half teased. "I want to do the tiring out."

She half laughed and half yawned, giving her consent to sleep. "I love you, Jasper," she murmured.

"I love you, too," I said, hearing her nod off to sleep on the other end of the phone. She mumbled my name a few times, and then I could hear her snore softly. I chuckled, not remembering hearing her snore before. She must really be tired.

I stayed on the phone with her for awhile, and then I think she shifted and hung up with her cheek, because the line went dead. I flipped my own phone closed, warm from my body heat, and put it on the charger.

I was suddenly inspired to do a little internet research.

I always knew that Alice favored the more luxurious things in life. She and Rose went shopping a lot, and thanks to her parent's endless funds and guilty consciences, she was always able to afford the nicest things, whatever she wanted.

I wanted to give her the best in life. I wanted to give it all to her.

I needed to make a phone call.

"Dad?" I said a few minutes later. "Can I ask you a favor?"


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N: So, not at 700 reviews just yet, but I couldn't help but post this now. I've been home from work the last two days with an epic cold, and I need anything I can get to cheer me up. Your reviews, added in with the news that Kellan is going to be a CK underwear model, will make me feel oh so much better. :-D Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being my groovy beta.**

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We alternated weeks, so that I visited Alice one weekend, and she came to Portland the next week. It worked out pretty well, and we were careful to get our work done before we had our weekend long sex-a-thons. This meant that I was constantly busy during the week, practically setting up home in the library, but it was worth it at the end of the week when I could concentrate each and every thought and energy on Alice.

December was approaching, though slower than I would have liked. This weekend, we had a four-day weekend at home for Thanksgiving, and I was elated. I was going to pick up Alice in Seattle and swing us home. Alice's folks were going to be home for once, so we couldn't spend every available moment together like we wanted, but it was better than nothing. After all, we were just right next door, no problem.

I didn't have class on Wednesday, because everyone was getting ready to travel home, and Alice opted out of her one art history class, because she hadn't missed any other classes that semester and they were awarded three unexcused absences per semester.

It was dry for once, very cold and mostly clear skies. I felt a sense of excitement and peace somehow, even though the visit would go by too quickly. The prospect of sharing a bed with Alice for four solid nights (with or without parental knowledge) was entirely too tempting.

This weekend had the potential to be epic on another level as well. Rosalie still hadn't told my folks that she was pregnant AND engaged to Emmett. He'd gotten down on one knee two weeks ago and delivered the rock. Rose was, of course, elated, and said yes immediately, interrupting a particularly hot 69 one Saturday afternoon. I wasn't too pleased about that.

I don't know why she had waited to tell my folks until she was practically showing, but I think Rose was afraid they'd have the same reaction as I had. Then again, she was engaged now. Maybe their southern sentiments wouldn't be as harsh if she had a ring on her finger.

_That had better not be the only reason he's marrying her, _I thought to myself. I knew he wasn't… Emmett really was a nice guy. He had a good heart. The only reason he wasn't broken into tiny, bite sized pieces was because I knew he loved my sister. That, and as aforementioned, the man is a giant.

There was one other thing as well, that was keeping my brain on constant overload. Will she or won't she?

I got to Seattle by ten am. I was eager to get to my girl and get her into my bed. My REAL bed at home, where we'd had our amazing first time. I was still trying to make it up to her, for not cumming with me the first time. I always made sure she got hers twice as often as me… what can I say, I'm a generous guy!

Alice had all of her suitcases (yes, plural) out and waiting at the front steps of her apartment, rushing out to me with arms wide open. I kissed her thoroughly, and held her in my arms so that her feet were nearly a foot off the ground.

"Mmm, you smell so good," she moaned into my ear. "I can't wait to be with you at home."

"Same," I said with a smile. I was extremely glad that the Brandon and Hale families were joining forces and having Thanksgiving dinner together. That way, we didn't have to choose who was going to be left out or not. I was sure the parents and Rosalie had something to do with this decision, and we were grateful.

I kissed the side of her neck, and then set her down on the ground. Her hazel eyes were sparkling with excitement, and I couldn't help but add a kiss to her forehead before pulling away. "Let's get your stuff and let's GO!" I said, well aware of the copious amounts of enthusiasm in my voice. She grinned in return, and we loaded the car in mere minutes. Alice hugged Bella goodbye, and then we were off, heading towards Forks.

Alice chattered the whole way there, and I was just glad to hear the sound of her voice, live and in person. She always talked with her hands, something I had never really noticed before. Time apart made me notice the little things about her, like the way she played with the ends of her hair, or the cute way she tucked her ankles together like a little girl at a tea party. Or the more adult things, such as the way her shirt skimmed over the swell of her breasts, making them look far more tempting and fuller than usual. The way she hiked up her skirt so she could face me more easily. The heels she was wearing that I wanted to ask her to leave on once we were in bed…

It was early afternoon by the time we got to Forks. Rosalie's car was already there, as was Emmett's Jeep, and of course, my mom's car. My dad was still at work, I gathered. Alice's driveway was empty, of course, so we bypassed it completely, going straight for my house.

"Welcome home!" my mom exclaimed, her arms flailing out to accept us into hugs. She hugged Alice first, and, I noted, the longest. Mama ruffled my hair and said, as she always did, "You look thin. I'm making something, that'll fill you up."

I swear, the woman was secretly Italian.

I rolled my eyes, as I always did, and said, "I'm _fine, _Mama!"

She gave me a rueful look, and then went back to talking to Rose and Alice, who were now hugging. You'd think they didn't see each other every day or something.

Emmett hung back, looking like he was afraid to talk with me. We hadn't spoken since the summer, presumably before everything had, er, _started_, and I wasn't necessarily looking forward to this conversation.

"Hey man," Emmett said pleasantly, as he always had. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," I said, extending my hand to shake with his. I figured that was the least I could do at this point. He accepted it, but I noticed his hand was clammy, as if he were about to shake apart with nervousness. Huh. Something as small as a fetus could make a man that big quake with fear. I almost wanted to laugh.

Actually, I had a feeling it was less to do with the baby, and more to do with the familial reaction. I feared for him, too. My dad wasn't afraid to threaten with a gun. I'd seen it happen before, with Rose's boyfriend Royce. Then again, the guy totally deserved it, breaking Rose's heart and very nearly making her an abuse victim. I still counted my lucky stars that I had walked in the room just as Royce held his hand up against Rose. I don't know what would have happened to her had I not happened upon that incident, and I shuddered to think about it now.

This was obviously a different sort of problem, though still not about rifle threats, at least in my father's eyes.

"How have you been?" I asked.

He gulped. "Good, actually. Really good." Well, at least he seemed sincere. "A lot going on, you know?"

"Yes, I do know," I said, and he visibly relaxed. I guess Rose hadn't told him that I knew, or what a bastard I had been. I was sort of grateful. I didn't need the big guy mad at me for anything. Things were tense enough as is. I gave him a small smile, which he returned, and then we went back the others.

The women had all gone into the living room to talk, leaving me and Emmett to unload the cars. Rose had packed just as much stuff as Alice had, even though she was only back for four days as well.

"I don't want her lifting this much," Emmett grumbled to himself, and suddenly he had my support. Amazing what a few words can do.

"Yeah, what's with these girls and their luggage?" I asked jokingly. "Alice must have packed at least half her closet."

"If you're lucky, half of THAT is lingerie," Emmett said with a wink, and suddenly I didn't mind the weight I was hefting… so long as he was right. I couldn't wait to find out. I tried not to think about how he might know that. Though she was pregnant, I liked to think of my sister as a sweet, virginal little girl.

The rest of the evening was spent with my family, having a light Thanksgiving Eve meal and catching up. Alice's parents wouldn't be home until tomorrow morning, so Rose "invited her" to spend the night at our house. We would have to be extremely quiet, but I was positive we could pull off the bedroom switcheroo so Emmett was in Rosalie's room and Alice in mine.

When the time came, Alice and Rose made a big show about going into Rose's room, and Emmett and I made out way upstairs to my room. We changed quickly, and then utilized the bathroom that connected our bedrooms together, so no one would ever see us. Now we just had the task of keeping quiet, and all would be well.

I tried to ignore the silky boxers Emmett had slipped on, and focused instead on the form of Alice in something lacy coming towards me. She and Emmett gave a quick hug as they met in the bathroom, and then the respective doors closed, and Alice and I were alone.

I can't even properly describe what she was wearing, because I was trying too hard not to cum right away from the vision of her in… _that_. It was black, it was lacy, and it was revealing… that's all I need to say. I kept thinking about how easy it would be to simply tear the scraps of fabric away from her, so I could feel her soft skin against the palms of my hands. Oh, and she was wearing the heels I had fantasized about in the car. Fuck me.

"Good evening, Jasper," she said formally, surprising me. I didn't care if she wanted to role-play, just so long as I got her out of _that _as soon as possible. It was driving me crazy.

"How are you?"

"I- I- I-" I stammered, apparently robbed of all ability to speak.

She walked towards me slowly, making me feel more like an animal being stalked by its predator. It made me shiver with desire. I wanted her to do whatever she wanted tonight… I was hers, one hundred percent.

Her arms wrapped around me, and I was already a shivering mass of goo, and she was well aware of it. "Ooh, all ready for me, are you?" she purred, her hips making full contact with mine. I was wearing thin boxers, and I could feel the heat from her center radiating towards me. "I like that," she said huskily, reaching between us and stroking me through my boxers. My hips thrust towards her hand.

"I'm always ready for you," I finally managed.

"Good," she said in that silky voice of hers, and I was officially a goner. "Kiss me, Jasper," she sweetly demanded, and I couldn't do anything but comply. Her tongue took control, holding my face firmly between her hands. She was in control tonight, and we both knew it.

She took my hands into hers, and then guided them down her curves, letting me know exactly where she wanted to be touched. Ah. The small of her back, the magic spot. The day I'd discovered it… my God, I hadn't realized what I was doing, but when I finally figured it out… I never wanted to let her go, and stupid me, I thought she didn't want it, so I had done the very last thing on earth I wanted, which was to pull away and make a quick exit. Or at least as fast as a raging hard on will let you move.

I was going to make up for lost time right now. I pulled her flush against me, and held my palms flat against her favorite spot, dragging my hands down slowly. She moaned into my ear, the sound, as usual, spurring me on more and more. The pace of my hands quickened, and I started utilizing the tips of my fingers, using a softer touch on her. This made her mewl even more, her body arching towards mine for more contact. Our bodies rubbed together in the most delicious ways, and I was captivated, watching her react to my ministrations. I thought she was going to spontaneously combust or something, the way she kept moving and groaning in my ear.

I was rock hard by the time she eased away from me. I hated the loss of contact, but I supposed she had other plans for us. In fact, she pulled away from me altogether, and sank onto my bed. She knelt onto the bed, legs spread, looking like a vixen from my wildest dreams come to send me into oblivion.

"Come here," she said, licking her lips as she saw me practically leap onto the bed. I could tell she was fighting to stay in character, traces of a smile turning up the corners of her lips. "I want you naked," she said huskily, eyeing me hungrily. I practically ripped off my boxers before sinking onto the bed next to her. My eager and ready cock bobbed in the air, just begging to get closer to her.

"So ready for me, so hard, "she praised. She reached forward and gave me a few firm pumps. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as her fingertips traced the rim of my cock, and I groaned with displeasure when she pulled back.

I pried my eyes open to see that her eyes were dark with desire, and she was touching herself through the fabric of her panties. Fuck. She was trying to kill me.

"Jasper, lie down and close your eyes," she instructed, and it took all I had in me not to grab her and kiss her and take things my way. I did as she said, trying my best to keep my hands to myself. I felt her hover over me, her breath fanning across my body in different places. I wasn't sure exactly where she was going to land her lips on me, and the anticipation was killer.

She started at my arms, at my right shoulder, nipping at me with her teeth, her hands spreading out across my chest, gripping the flesh there. Her nails raked into me, and it hurt so good. Then her mouth was at my hipbone, marking me in the same way she had my shoulder. Her hands were everywhere, pressing against my arms, my chest, my stomach, my thighs, my hair.

My entire body felt like it was on fire. It had never been like this, not with her, not with anyone, not ever. I had never surrendered control like this before, and I couldn't say that I hated it. In fact, I loved it. I felt worshipped, just the way I always wanted to make her feel. We'd done this before, only I had been the commanding one, and now I was trapped beneath her and I never wanted to leave this spot.

The air was charged, practically crackling with the energy between us. I was trying desperately to keep my hands to myself, and she was doing everything in her power to torture me, albeit in the best way possible. I could tell by the way that her hands trembled that she was nervous, and just as needy as I was. Her center brushed up against my thigh, and I could feel her wetness on my skin. That didn't help anything.

"Alice, please," I moaned, finally about to get out a few coherent syllables.

"All in good time, my love," she said, and lowered her lips to my neck, her hands massaging the back of my neck like she knew I loved. I shivered, my body moving towards hers, needing friction, needing tightness, needing her.

"Alice," I said again, my voice coming out desperate and needy. One hand moved to my cock, and I nearly yelped in surprise. Her kisses swallowed my moans. I was doing everything in my power not to cum; she was making it monumentally difficult, especially when her hips started rubbing against mine, the friction desperate to finally happen.

Her lips finally met mine again, and I was lost in our kiss. Our tongues moved together just as our bodies did, and I was going insane with need and want. She was so perfect, and she was all mine. Soon, I'd make sure that was forever.

Finally, _finally, _she pulled her panties to the side and sunk down onto me. I groaned and she sighed as we were finally joined. No matter what, she was always so tight, and it drove me crazy. She grasped my hands as she began to move above me, steadying herself as she bounced up and down on me. She was still wearing the tight black lacy thing, and her milky white breasts threatened to bounce out of their confines at any given moment.

I wrestled my hands free, unable to stand it, and cupped her breasts in my hands. She moaned and threw back her head as I massaged them, feeling the heat of her body through the soft lace. She moved faster as I touched her, my body rejoicing at the contact, and just happy she allowed it.

"Mmm, Jasper," she moaned. "Touch me."

I didn't need another request. My hand went right down to her clit, rubbing it over the material, hearing her gasp, body clenching around me. I wasn't going to be able to take much more of this. I was going to die.

"Jasper, so close!" she sighed, slamming back down on me hard. "Fuck, harder!"

I rolled over, both of us past the little role-playing we'd been doing, until she was on her back and I could pound into her, holding onto her heels as I fucked her. I kissed her, swallowing her cries, and felt her climax hard around me.

I moaned into her mouth as I came, too, and then practically collapsed on her, trying to keep the majority of my weight off her tiny body.

"Fuck, that was so good," I groaned, rolling back onto my back. I could have sworn I was still seeing fucking stars. "I like it when you take charge like that, Alice."

"And next time, I won't allow you to take over like that," she said in a mock stern voice, smacking my arm hard. It barely hurt, and it kind of felt good. I started to wonder what it might be like if she spanked me…

Ahem.

"No, ma'am," I agreed. "Never again."

"That's a good boy," she purred, stroking my cheek. I leaned into her soft touch, thanking God I got so lucky as to somehow deserve this woman.

"This lace is itchy," she suddenly complained. "Help me out of it, Jazz."

"I thought you'd never ask," I growled, and set about removing it with my teeth. Alice burst into a peal of laughter, and then clapped a hand over her mouth to quiet the giggles. I shh'd at her, and she laughed doubly harder.

Moments later, I heard my parent's door bang open. My dad, from the sounds of the footsteps. _Shit!_

"Quick, lock the doors!" I hissed, and I ran to my door while Alice leapt to the bathroom door, both of us securing the locks. Safe… for now.

Apparently, Rose and Emmett hadn't been as quick, because the next thing I could hear was my father knocking loudly on the door and then entering despite Rose's desperate pleas. He was silent then, way too silent.

"What. Is. This?" he boomed, and then Emmett mumbled something to explain, too fast and too quiet for me to understand.

Oh. Holy. Fuck.


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N: Whew! For those of you who celebrate Christmas... here's your present!!! And for everyone else, consider it a New Years gift, or a "Happy Day" gift. ;-) I wish you all happiness and peace. Thanks to LittleLea05 for getting this back to me so soon!!!**

**This is the last chapter... but have no fear!!! There will be an epilogue, and then I'm going to do outtakes from whatever YOU request from me. So give me ideas!!! Any event happen where you want to see the other side?? Let me know!!!**

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**Disclaimer: Only the sexy parts belong to me. The rest is SM's. **

My jaw dropped as I heard Emmett and Rose scramble to explain themselves, and probably to throw on some clothes. I was dying of curiosity to see what was going on, but also terrified because now my parents would know that Alice was with me. If it was one thing my parents taught me, it was to wait until marriage… the one thing they'd taught me that I completely ignored.

Alice froze, eyes wide, and I could tell she was straining to hear every single word through the shut doors. Fortunately for her, my father was anything but quiet, and it wasn't long before we could hear everything that was going on.

"… can't believe you would disrespect me like this in my own home! I welcomed you in, and this is how you thank me? By corrupting my sweet, innocent daughter in her childhood bedroom?!" Dad bellowed.

"Daddy, it wasn't like that," Rosalie said, trying to use her best suck-up voice. It usually worked on our father, but tonight, he was having none of it.

"What was it then, Rosalie? Explain yourself." His tone was sardonic.

I could practically hear her jaw set, determined. "Emmett and I are getting married, Daddy. And we're having a baby."

Now I could practically hear my father's jaw drop, and Alice's went right along with it. We had all known this moment was coming… well, except for my parents… but none of us had expected for it to come out so quickly, without preparation and the soft cushioning of words, and definitely not before my dad had had a glass or two of wine to calm him down.

"Oh my GOD," Alice mouthed to me, shocked.

We were relaxed at the moment, on this side of the door, but I knew it wouldn't be long before my dad started questioning where Alice was… and it would be no surprise as to where. We were also in deep shit if we weren't careful.

Alice scurried into one of my over-sized T-shirts, and I slipped on my pajama pants so that we at least wouldn't get caught in flagrante. During this time, my mother had joined my dad, and everyone in the hallway was silent. No one knew what to say.

"Are… you sure?" my mom finally managed, voice soft and watery, like she was about to burst into tears.

"Positive," Rose said, voice strong. I could almost imagine Emmett wrapping his arm around her and giving her a squeeze of solidarity.

"Oh, darling," my mom sobbed, and I knew she had hugged Rose. Alice and I sat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped together. I was afraid to go out there, but also felt the need to join them. This was a family moment, no matter how fucked up it was.

My dad mumbled something, and Emmett chuckled nervously. At least he had toned down the yelling. He was famous for making himself cough when he got really worked up; his face would turn bright red, ears nearly purple, and soon he was choking on his own words. I had only seen him that way a handful of times in his life, but it wasn't something I wanted for my sister when she was giving the best news of her life.

The last time he'd gotten that mad was when he caught me swigging the Jack I'd stolen from his locked cabinet straight from the bottle behind our shed in the backyard. I was fourteen, and I swear, his eyeballs nearly popped out of his head. To say he was pissed would be the understatement of the century.

No one ever said I was a good kid.

Alice squeezed my hand, bringing me back into the present, and it looked like she was dying of curiosity just as much as I was. But we hadn't been discovered yet… my parents were too absorbed in the shock of Rose's announcement that Alice and I were old hat. Hopefully, we could keep up the luck for the rest of the night… and tomorrow was a holiday, so I could only pray that we could possibly escape this scotch-free.

Then again…

"JASPER!" my father bellowed, and I winced. Alice gave my hand a soft squeeze of reassurance. I wasn't in this alone. We were a team, just like Rosalie and Emmett. And I knew I didn't feel any guilt or remorse for being with Alice in any way. I loved her, and this was only a minor problem. Even if right at this second, it felt like we were off to the gallows.

I unlocked the door, and gave Alice a quick peck on the lips before we ducked into the hallway. My dad looked furious, but my mom's eyes were glittering with understanding and happy tears from Rose's announcement. I doubted much would upset her right about now, not even pre-marital "sinning."

No one said anything for a moment. My dad was glaring at me, but as I looked him directly in the eye, I doubted he was going to say anything. He and I both knew his silent disappointment in me was far more effective than any words he could ever utter. So instead, he gestured towards Rose and Emmett and said,

"Did you hear the good news?"

"Uh, yeah, congratulations," I said, feigning ignorance and gathering Rose into a hug while Alice stretched up on her tiptoes to hug Emmett. They were really quite funny, my tiny pixie and Rose's giant. Emmett looked like he could fold her in half and put her in his pocket.

I wanted her back in my arms, so after she hugged Rose and I shook hands with Emmett, I gathered Alice back in my arms, resting my head on top of her head.

"Well… this has been enlightening," my dad said. "And it's late. We can talk about this in the morning. Good night," and without another word, he was stalking back into the bedroom, my mother blowing us a kiss and following quickly. I was sure they were going to stay up talking all night.

Emmett let out a big sigh. "That could have gone worse," he said in relief, and I had to agree. My dad hadn't even threatened him with his gun. A big improvement for him.

"What were you guys doing when he walked in?" Alice whispered to Rose, more curious than she probably had a right to be. After all, there was no way I wanted to know what my sister and her fiancé did in their spare time.

"We were just cuddling," Rose said, and she sounded honest. "Emmett was talking to the baby."

"Awww," Alice cooed. "So sweet!" Emmett blushed.

"Why do you think he came storming in?" Rose asked. "We weren't making much noise."

Now it was Alice's turn to blush. "Well… uh…." She bit her lip and flung me a desperate look.

"Never mind, I don't want to know!" Rose said, flinging her hands up like she was surrendering. "Disgusting," she added under her breath.

"Rose, you're the one that gave me that thing to wear!" Alice said indignantly.

"Ooooo-kay," Emmett said, tucking Rosalie's elbow in his hand, steering her back to the bedroom. "I think we've had enough show-and-tell for the evening. I'm tired, baby, let's go to bed," he said, addressing Rose. "G'night, freaks!" he added cheerfully, and Alice stuck her tongue out at his retreating back.

We went back in my room, making sure the door was locked securely behind us, and flopped onto the bed.

"Gah, I thought we were going to be dead there for awhile!" she said, staring up at the ceiling. I stared up with her, entwining my fingers with hers.

"I was expecting more wrath," I admitted. "But I think Rose shocked Dad so much that he couldn't even think about yelling at us."

"I feel kinda bad," she said, "since I was the reason he came storming out… but I suppose it's good everything's out in the open now."

"I agree," I said. "I hate secrets."

"Oh, that's too bad," she said, turning towards me now. I rolled my neck so my head was facing her on the pillow.

"Why?" I asked, puzzled.

"Because I have a secret right now," she said, eyes shining. For five heartbeats, I was convinced she was going to tell me that she, too, was pregnant. But the gleam in her eye was too wicked for that to be the case.

"Do tell," I said, sounding breathless. Thinking you're going to be a daddy for five seconds does that to you, I guess.

She leaned forward until her lips were at my ear. "Underneath all these clothes, I'm naked."

I groaned, half in arousal, and half in annoyance. "You are so bad, Mary Alice Brandon."

"Mmm, I know, isn't it great?" she said, rolling back onto her back. I followed her, settling between her thighs. I leaned forward, and we kissed for a long time. My hands were itching to get under her T-shirt and see about all this nudity she was talking about, but she yawned into my mouth.

"Sorry," she said when I pulled back. "I'm sleepy."

"Me too," I said, rolling onto my back and taking her with me. She snuggled into my arms, burying her face in my neck. It tickled, and I shivered. "Good night my love."

"Good night my Jasper," she sighed happily. "I'm glad your dad didn't kill us."

I snorted. "Something to be thankful for, I suppose." She chuckled sleepily, and minutes later, her breathing evened out and I joined her in sleep.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to a cold bed and the smell of cinnamon rolls. I had mixed feelings about this. Alice should have been next to me… I didn't want to wake up alone. But on the other hand… there was a distinct possibility that I might get a baked good out of the deal. It was a toss-up.

I ambled down the stairs after my morning bathroom routine to find Alice, Rose, and both our mothers in the kitchen. From the looks of it, they were nearly done with everything for a hearty breakfast. How we were expected to eat this AND Thanksgiving dinner was beyond me, but I was up for the challenge. Maybe they cooked with Emmett in mind…

"Good morning!" Alice said, bouncing up to me to give me a kiss. She tasted sweet, like she had been sampling the frosting. She started to pull away, but I gripped her hips and pulled her in for another kiss, sampling the taste of the frosting, remnants of minty toothpaste, and the flavor that was uniquely Alice.

"Get a room," Rose quipped, and I went to give her the finger, but remembered that our moms were in the room. No need to invoke their anger this early in the morning, on a holiday no less. I pulled away reluctantly from Alice, and gave my mom and Mrs. Brandon a kiss on the foreheads.

"Oh Jasper, I'm so glad you're up!" my mom said, a rosy blush on her cheeks. She was still excited about the baby, I could tell. "Can you try to wake up Emmett? Even Rose had trouble getting him up."

"Sounds like a personal problem," I smirked, and both my mom and Rose whapped me upside the head simultaneously. "Oww, geez. I'll try," I said, now grouchy. "But if he has wood, I swear to God…"

"Jasper!" my mom scolded, while Mrs. Brandon and Alice were busting up laughing at the sink, peeling potatoes or something like that.

I stalked back up the stairs, and pounded my fist against Rose's door. "Em! Man! Wake up!"

Nothing.

I tried again, but I couldn't hear a peep from him. I cautiously swung open the door. Just because Rose had said they were "just cuddling" on the bed didn't mean that nothing else had happened over the course of the night, and I did not need to see my future brother-in-law naked. Not now, not ever.

Emmett was sound asleep on the bed, mouth hanging wide open in an exaggerated snore. He was laying spread eagle across the bed, and thank God for down comforters, because I couldn't tell whether or not he had morning issues or not. I prayed not, but either way, I wouldn't have to see that shit.

"Emmett, wake the fuck up!" I said loudly into his ear. I gave him a hard shove for good measure, and he mumbled something in his sleep. "EMMETT!"

"Wha?" he said, and then snored again. My God this was frustrating. Did my sister really know what she was getting herself into with this one?

"Emmett, for fuck's sake, wake up. There's food downstairs," I said in a mocking tone. And low and behold, it worked. His eyes shot open, and he was flinging the covers off in an instant. Who knew food would be the magic word?

"It's Thanksgiving," he breathed, and I had never seen a grown man more happy in my entire life. It was like Christmas morning in Disneyland while getting a blow job or something fucking magical like that.

I rolled my eyes and went back downstairs. Alice was waiting for me, looking like she was ready to pounce. My heart stuttered in my chest as she pulled me into a sensual kiss, hands finding purchase in my hair.

"You look so sexy in your PJs," she whispered. "When you came into the kitchen this morning…"

"Geez, woman, its nine o'clock in the morning!" I teased. "Let me wake up a little first."

"If we wait, then we'll be too busy cooking," she pouted.

"Everyone's awake. I think they'd notice if we left," I whispered, already looking around nervously to see if anyone noticed just how wrapped up in each other we were. My dad was kind last night, but God knew if we disappeared again he'd let us have it. Plus, her parents were here now, too. Four sets of eyes watching our every move…

She nibbled on my bottom lip. "I don't know why I'm so horny this morning," she said, and I wanted to groan. Knowing she wanted me so bad… as much as I wanted her… I was rock hard now, and dying to be buried deep inside her.

"God, Alice, you're going to kill me," I moaned. She licked the shell of my ear, and pulled back. Bad plan. My PJ bottoms were not that concealing of my now prominent problem, and everyone was just in the other room. It was hot.

"Go… take care of things and then come back," she ordered.

"But-" I started to protest. She shook her head firmly.

"You said no," she said simply.

"I didn't-"

"Jasper, GO," she said, and I remembered last night and how she took control, and everything seemed so much more hot now.

Luckily, it didn't take too long, considering the state of things, so I was able to join everyone in the kitchen, fully dressed and showered, in less than twenty minutes. Alice shot me a dazzling smile, knowing full well what I had been up to, and everyone else barely even mumbled hello, busy in their own projects.

Breakfast was delicious, and afterwards, Emmett sprinted to the TV to turn on a football game. This must be why he loved Thanksgiving so much: copious amounts of food, and sports.

The rest of the day was spent that way; I helped in the kitchen where I could, but my mom insisted that there were too many cooks, so she kicked me out after about twenty minutes. Fine by me, I wasn't such a fan of cooking, but at least when it was so crowded, I could do things like cup Alice's butt, or kiss her neck, or nip at her earlobe without anyone paying too much mind.

I loved how well our families already integrated so well. It was perfect without even having to try. Nothing was forced after years of friendship and neighborly camaraderie. I knew I'd never hate my in-laws, and it would take something epic for Alice to hate my parents. We were already a family.

The thought warmed me more than I expected. This was _right. _A year from now, Rosalie was going to be a new mother, doting over her child, and hopefully by then I'd also have a new brother-in-law, if they got things planned fast enough.

And Alice and I… well hopefully things would go according to plan.

The box upstairs was burning a hole in my dresser drawer.

After dinner, during which Emmett, my father, and Alice's dad gorged themselves on their plates heaped high with food, and Rose, Alice, and our moms gloated over the announcement of the baby , we all settled in the living room for a long Thanksgiving coma. There was some football game on, but I was too full to notice, and too busy with my own thoughts.

Alice snuggled against me on the couch, her tiny body radiating heat into me, warming me inside and out. She was everything I wanted in my life, and more. She was _everything. _And suddenly, I wasn't sure I could wait any longer.

"Alice, honey, can you come upstairs with me for a minute?" I asked.

"Sure," she said, sounding pleased, though unsuspecting.

The second we were alone, she attacked me, and I do literally mean attacked. Her hand went to the zipper of my pants, cupping me through the denim, and causing me to yelp in surprise. Her mouth drowned out my cry, her tongue tangling with mine.

"Alice, honey…" I said desperately, not unwilling for this to happen, but I had had something a little more romantic in mind for what I had planned next.

"I want you so bad," she moaned, stroking me through my pants faster.

"Gah-God, I want you, too," I gasped, unable to stop her. I didn't seem to want to. I could always talk with her later…

I ceased all thought and kissed her back as desperately as she was kissing me. I had no idea what had gotten into her, but I couldn't stop, and I certainly didn't want to stop her now. Not when it felt sooooo good.

I have no idea how long later, but I finally got my wits about me (but not before an amazing orgasm and the look of bliss on Alice's face more than once), and managed to gather Alice in my arms in the most non-sexual way possible when you're naked as a jay bird.

"I never imagined it could be this way," she sighed, playing with my chest hair. "I had no idea…"

"I know what you mean," I sighed, completely content to hold her just this way for the rest of my life.

Which was all I was asking for. "Alice, can I ask you a question?"

It was wrong, I knew. She deserved, and most likely expected, flowers, candlelight, probably violin music… But I knew the only place I'd ever felt this content in my life was in her arms, and it was the only place in this world I'd always want to be, regardless of any other location. _She _was my home.

"Can we… get dressed?"

She snorted in laughter. "Yeah, I suppose so."

We pulled on our clothes again, and as soon as the last button was buttoned, I swept her back into my arms. I kissed her warmly, and pulled her flush against me.

"I had planned this a little differently," I started, and Alice gave a little gasp, catching on to what I was about to say. I pulled away, but not reluctantly. I was actually eager for this part. I pulled the box out of my pants pocket, where I'd put it when Alice's back was turned, and tears sprung in her eyes. "But I hope you won't mind if I do it this way."

"No, that's okay," she sobbed, but she sounded happy, so I kept going.

"Alice, you have always been there for me. And by some miracle, you love me. I don't know why… I don't know if I'll ever really understand it, but I'll always be grateful. And… I love you more than anything in this world. In this universe. Hell, I love you more than oxygen."

She laughed at that.

"And just like oxygen, I just can't live without you. So please, darling Alice… will you be my wife?"

I opened up the box to show her the ring, but she was on me before she could even get a look at it. "Yes yes yes yes yes!" she screamed, nearly splitting my ears, and I had to laugh. Everyone downstairs HAD to know what was going on, if they hadn't caught on before. Our mouths fused together, and we were laughing and crying and expressing to each other everything we had ever felt, and it was pure bliss.

_She said yes, _my head kept echoing over and over and over again. _Yes! _

"Lemme see," she said greedily, and I chuckled as I handed her the box. I heard her gasp in recognition.

"It's-"

"Yeah, it is," I said with a grin. Alice had always loved the wedding ring of my great grandmother. When we were very young, my great grandma Whitlock had lived with us for a time before she passed on, and she had adored Alice, and the feeling was mutual. Gram Whitlock had all sorts of jewelry, and she wasn't afraid to show Rosalie and Alice her collection. They spent hours trying on everything in that old box, being princesses or movie stars or whatever it is seven year old girls pretend to be.

Gram Whitlock's engagement ring had been Alice's favorite. It was always tucked in a faded black box in the very back corner of the jewelry box, and only on special occasions was Alice or Rose allowed to touch it. It was real, you see, and very old.

I don't know what had possessed me to remember it when I was considering a ring for Alice, but it had struck me, and I remembered that my dad had it for safe keeping if any of the great grandkids ever asked for it. I called up my dad, and my mom had cried, and we all knew it was the perfect ring for Alice.

And now as I slipped it on her ring and covered it with a kiss, I knew it was perfect for the woman I was going to marry. Her hands cupped my face, and I pulled her to me for a deep and loving kiss. I had been wrong before. _This _is what it meant to feel complete. _This _was what felt right.

"I love you," she murmured, tears still falling down her beautiful cheeks.

"And I love you," I whispered, kissing her tears away and pulling her into a hug. "Come on, let's tell everyone."

"Wait, won't we be stealing the thunder from Rose and Emmett?" Alice asked, concerned, pulling back.

"That's true… but hey, how often do best friends AND twins get engaged at practically the same time?"

"And get everything they ever wanted?" she added.

"Exactly," I said, and kissed her once more for good luck.


	28. Epilogue

**A/N: *tear* This is the end, folks!!! Although, I was totally serious when I asked for ideas for outtakes. I'll write what you ask for!!! PLEASE let me know what to write though, or it ain't gonna happen. Wanna see their first time from Alice's POV? Their motorcycle rides from Jasper? Let me know!!! **

**Thanks as always to the beautiful and lovely LittleLea05 for being my hardcore beta throughout this story, putting up with me when I didn't know what I was going to write next... me, the mystery author. Never know what's going to happen until it happens!**

**I've got other stories that I'm bringing out from the backburner, so please look for those. Right now, my main story is Masks, but there will be others later.**

**Follow me on Twitter and Blogspot! Links on my profile.**

**Disclaimer: The plot is mine. The characters are not.**

**APOV**

"You're insane if you think we're going to name this baby Alistair. We might as well give him the pocket protector right now!" Jasper exclaimed, running his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated.

I held up the baby name book and scowled at him. "It was just a suggestion, honey. Relax! I don't actually like that name that much. How about…" I flipped through the boys names and jabbed at the name, reading off the first name listed. "Vladimir."

He groaned. "You're just fucking with me now, aren't you?"

I grinned. "Maybe."

Jasper flopped on the couch next to me, placing his hands on my swollen belly. "What should we name you, Kid? Huh? Any ideas?"

I placed my hands on top of his, feeling the cool metal of his wedding band against my hands, and marveled for a moment at how far we'd come together. I transferred to PSU and we graduated together, moving to Bend, Oregon after getting married a few short months later. We both loved the landscape of the high desert of Bend, where we'd spent plenty of summers camping growing up, and Jasper could pretend he was a cowboy on a daily basis in his Wranglers and pick up. I couldn't say anything negative against it. His butt looked really good in tight denim.

We'd lived on the volcanic soil of Central Oregon for nearly six years now. I would take the time to go hiking to remote spots to paint and partake in my latest passion, photography, while Jasper worked for a local microbrewery, finally putting his secret passion for a good pale ale to use.

We were happy. Life was good. We didn't make big bucks, but we didn't really need that. I couldn't care less what I was doing, so long as Jasper was with me.

And now we were going to share our life with a little one. I was about popping with our unborn son, with only a few weeks left.

"What if we name him after your dad?" I suggested.

"Benjamin? I don't know…"

"Or my dad?"

"Hell no! No way are we having a son named Demetri."

I pouted. "You're being an ass tonight." It seemed like the closer I got to the due date, the more tense he got.

"I'm sorry, I'm just… nervous," he said, eyes a little wild. "I mean… you could have him any day now! And what if we wait too long, and then we get to the hospital, and we won't know what to call him for the birth certificate, and we walk around with a nameless baby for weeks and weeks and when people ask us what his name is, we don't have an answer? I just can't-"

"Jazz, Jazz, calm down!" I laughed. He was so cute when he was flustered like this. "We'll think of something, I promise."

He kissed my forehead, and my eyes fluttered shut. He continued down my cheek and jaw, making the full circle of my face, and then down my nose until he got to my mouth. My breath came out in shallow, jagged gasps, my hands flying to his shoulders as if he were the only thing anchoring me to the world.

When his lips finally reached mine, all the breath left my body in a whoosh and I was clinging to him, or at least as much as I could with my belly in the way. Because no matter how long we were married, no matter how many times he kissed me, or made love to me, or held me in his arms, I was still in shock and awe that this man could ever love me like this. That somehow everything I'd ever dreamed of came true.

Sometimes, I imagined I'd be awoken from the dream to find it was all my imagination. But Jasper somehow proved to me each and every day that I wasn't dreaming- that by some miracle this was all real, and he really loved me the way I loved him. That I was right all along; we are perfect for each other.

His hands skimmed down over my stomach and down my thighs. The pregnancy hormones had really taken a toll on me, and lately I couldn't get enough of him, not that it had been a problem before. I have no idea how, but we were just as insatiable now as we were when we first got together. And neither one of us were complaining.

"Mmm, Jasper," I moaned into his mouth. "More." I tugged on his hair, just to encourage him. He loved it when I did that. His hands wandered up my thighs, going straight where I wanted them, needed them, his lips making a trail down my neck and chest, and further over my belly.

"We'll talk about this later," he promised, and then proceeded to eat me alive. Literally.

* * *

"Okay, so seriously, we need to talk about a name," Jasper said, hours later. I was still rubbing my thighs together for friction; I still couldn't get enough of him, no matter what he or I did. It was wonderfully frustrating.

"Yeah, I agree," I said. "Rose is coming over with Sophie soon."

Rose and Emmett had two daughters, Sophie and Grace, who were now six and four. Today, Rose and Sophie were coming over for a "big girl tea party," while Jasper was joining Emmett and Grace for an afternoon cartoon-a-thon. They had finally sorted out any kind of animosity or latent fear of each other, and now they were best friends.

They lived in Seattle still, but Rose had insisted on coming out to Bend to help me before and after this kiddo's birth. My mom was still distant and didn't really offer any help, and that was fine. I had long since given up on us having a normal mother/daughter relationship where we, you know, talk and things like that. I loved my parents, but that we weren't close, and that was just fine.

"Samuel?" Jasper offered, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I wrinkled my nose. "Sam is cute, but I don't like the full name. It's so formal."

"We'll never have a name!" he exclaimed. It was adorable when he got more flustered than me. He got these crinkles in his forehead, and all I wanted to do was reach over and smooth them out with my fingertips, so that's what I did.

"How about Adam?" I suggested. It had always been one of my favorite names, and by the way Jasper's face lit up with the suggestion, I could tell he liked it, too.

"Adam. Adam Hale. Sounds good to me," he said, a big smile spreading across his face.

"And what about a middle name?"

"Oh, what, you expect me to be a genius and know everything?" I teased. "You pick."

"What about David? It's my grandpa's name, the one you never got to meet. I always liked him, when I was a kid… he was fun. My 'cowboy grandpa.'" He looked sweet as he reminisced, almost like when we were young and chasing each other through the woods in Forks.

"Adam David Hale," I said slowly, trying to roll the names around in my head, see how they sounded together. It was simple. Maybe even a name Rose and Emmett might pick. But I thought it was beautiful. I could just picture Adam now, his hair dark like mine, but wavy like his fathers. His eyes might be gray, or even green. I wasn't sure. But it made me ache in the best ways to think about him. My Adam.

Our Adam.

I smiled up at Jasper, and he was smiling right back. "It's perfect," I whispered. He reached out and squeezed my hand, and I molded my hands to my belly, trying to embrace my unborn son as he grew inside me. Jasper's hands covered mine, and we leaned forward, our foreheads touching. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of pure contentment.

**JPOV**

Our blissful little moment was interrupted moments later, Rosalie with Sophie in tow.

"We're heeeere!" Rose trilled, and Alice and I pulled apart.

"Stupid woman," Alice muttered under her breath, and I had to laugh.

"Come on, you," I said, helping her up. Her belly was so big, it was often hard for her to stand up. She was so tiny, and with our child growing inside her, I don't think she had ever looked more beautiful to me, despite her protests to the contrary. In the beginning, when she just started to show, she insisted she looked fat and ugly, and no matter how many times I tried to tell her she was gorgeous and sexy, she wouldn't believe me.

It was weeks before she even let me touch her, but then the hormones kicked in, and I had nothing more to complain about. Half the time, I couldn't even speak because she exhausted me so much.

It was a good kind of exhaustion.

Rose's knocking persisted, and Alice groaned as she waddled over to the door. It looked like she was trying to shoplift a watermelon.

Sophie zoomed into the house, her blonde curly hair flying around her head like a halo. I may have been angry at Rose for settling down so quickly, but it didn't take me long to fall in love with the little one- a nanosecond to be precise. Sophie was an angel, perfect in every way, and I loved her more than I could say, and so was little Grace. And Rose and Emmett were truly perfect for each other. I'd never question Rose's judgment about anything ever again.

"Uncle Jasper, Auntie Alice, look!" she shouted, bubbling with energy just like her aunt, palms outstretched. In it, she held a photo. Alice gasped immediately, and I didn't understand why until Emmett and Grace came in, twin shit-eating grins on their faces, and I realized that the photo was black and white. A sonogram.

"What the-?" I managed. I hadn't thought they were planning to have another.

"Yes!" Rose said, a giant grin on her face. Every time she got pregnant, it was like she won the fucking lottery. And being an expectant parent now, I could totally appreciate the feeling. This time, just like the time before, I wasn't a douche. I swept my sister up into my arms and hugged her tight… well, not _too _tight. She was pregnant, after all.

"I'm so happy for you," I said, face buried in her hair. "I really am."

When I pulled back, she had tears in her eyes, and I saw that Alice did, too. They hugged it out as best they could with Alice's stomach in the way, and I shook Emmett's hand congenially. "Congrats, man."

"Thanks," he said with pride, and I reached out to give Grace a hug.

"You finally gonna be a big sister?" I asked, and she smiled enthusiastically.

"Yup! An' Daddy said I can have my own grown up girl bed and everything! I'm 'cited cuz I get a cousin and a new baby!" She beamed with pride. A chip off the old block, exactly like her father.

"So I guess we're not having a tea party and cartoons?" I asked after everyone had calmed down from the baby-related high.

"Jasper, how can you think of cartoons at a moment like this?" Alice chided. "We need to celebrate!"

"Um… how?" I gestured towards her belly, and she frowned. She hated being reminded of how big she was, even if she loved the reason why she was.

"Just leave it to me," she said, and moved as fast as she could into the kitchen. Always planning something.

"Let me help you," Rose said, and they both scurried into the kitchen.

* * *

"Think it'll be a boy, or a girl?" I asked, beer in hand.

Emmett took a sip of his and then said, "Yes."

I snorted. "You know what I mean."

He shrugged. "I really don't care. When Rosie first got pregnant, I really wanted a boy. But as it turns out, I kind of love being surrounded by beautiful women all the time."

I snorted again, this time with laughter, and he laughed with me. So did Grace, but she didn't really know what was going on in the first place. She was in her silly stage, where she always wanted to laugh, sometimes to the point of hysteria. When she got started, she never stopped, and it reminded me of times when Alice, Rose and I would have laughing contests until our bellies ached and we couldn't breathe.

I couldn't believe how quickly the time passed from childhood into adulthood. Somehow, all of the memories of growing up in Forks were fading into the much distant past, and our own children would be living out those same awkward stages on their own. We would become the stuffy parents, and they would grow up and fall in love and get married and have babies of their own, and the cycle would repeat. When you're six, you don't think about things like this, but now I was feeling the keen sting of reality… and the swell of pride that somehow, I had made it.

Alice would soon give birth, and Adam would join us in the world. Maybe someday, a sibling or two would join the ranks. Maybe I'd keep my job at the brewery and become a master brewer and start my own business, or maybe I wouldn't. Maybe Alice would become a world famous artist and photographer, and we'd get to travel the world, setting new scenes for her art, or maybe she wouldn't. But that was okay, because I had my childhood best friend and lover and wife all in one person, and honestly I couldn't imagine anything sweeter.

Life wasn't perfect. It could never be, nor should it be. I was happy, happier than I ever deserved to be. But somehow, it was real, and with what I had and everything I strived for, it was good enough. More than good. Wonderful.

**A/N II: Leave me lots of love!!! Please and thank you.**


	29. Outtake 1

**A/N: I'm SO sorry it took so long for me to get this up!!! For some reason, it was incredibly hard to write this. I have made an executive decision about the outtakes. They will only occur during the story, no outside outtakes like the birth of Adam or their wedding or anything like that. Otherwise, those are just other chapters, not outtakes. Thanks for all of your great ideas, to everyone.**

**Thanks as always to the lovely LittleLea05 for being so quick with this. :-) **

**This outtake takes place in the bar at the initial meeting of Rosalie and Emmett.**

**Disclaimer: I don't think SM would have Rose drip dry. So clearly, I am not her.**

**RPOV**

I was getting tired of Alice's whiny ass. She'd been moping over Jasper since we were in elementary school, and that shit got old real quick. I knew that this summer would make it even worse if I didn't take action.

So I dragged her sorry butt to the bar and told her to find a guy. But no one was good enough for her. Sometimes, I just wanted to throttle her! As much as I'd love for her to be my sister-in-law someday, I really didn't see that happening. Jasper had his head up his ass too far to even begin to notice that she wasn't his little sister.

I guzzled down my drink just to try to numb out her depression, and things started to look very nice from where I was sitting. I didn't want a lonely summer either, so I scoped out the room, making sure I didn't miss any newbie's. Disappointment washed through me as I saw that there was no one new… and then the strong urge to pee came over me, and I stumbled in my stilettos to the bathroom to fix the one problem I had control over.

I hummed to myself, signaling even to my alcoholic brain that I had probably had too much to drink tonight. But that didn't mean I was going to stop. I wasn't going to let Alice ruin my fun.

My hand reached out to grab a handful of TP, but came up empty. I blindly reached for it again, but the blessed bathroom tissue wouldn't appear into my fist, and I looked over to find that the roll was empty with only a few tiny pieces of toilet paper stuck to the cardboard.

"Fuuuuuck," I moaned, good mood gone again. Damn it! Nothing could remedy my bad mood, not even alcohol. I pouted. "Can someone hand me some toilet paper? Pleeeeeease?" I asked the room, but no one answered. What in the hell? There are always women in the bathroom of bars, it's like some kind of unspoken rule.

And now they'd left me high and dry. Or rather, un-dry. Shit. I _hate _drip drying.

I hummed again, this time just to pass the moments, and waited until it seemed almost acceptable to pull my pants back up. I felt disgusting. I made sure to wash my hands thoroughly, though I hadn't had any contact _down below_, and then sauntered out of the bathroom.

"Damn it, they ran out of TP, and I had to drip dry," I moaned, before my eyes met with the most spectacular pair of brown eyes I'd ever seen. My knees instantly felt weak as I took in the fine hunk of male specimen that sat next to Alice. I… wanted… him… _now_…

"Oh, hello!" I gasped, tearing my eyes away to Alice to give her a look of disbelief and approval. I couldn't believe my bad luck that she had found him first. Because it made me ache inside, I wanted him so much. It was instant, chemical.

He took my hand into his, and gently kissed my knuckles, after uttering a smooth and sexy "Hola," and I swear to God, my knees went weak, and for probably the second time in my life, I felt my cheeks heat with a blush. The only other time I remember blushing for a man, was when I was six and I got lost in the grocery store. My hero was a police officer, who honestly looked a lot like this handsome stranger did now: curly brown hair, kind eyes, and a body I wanted to lick all over. Of course, at six, I wasn't interested in licking, but I did love the dimples on that officer the same as I loved the ones on the man before me.

I felt myself glaze over with lust, but I felt my familiar snap of flirtation go through me, and stupidly, I said hello again, and added, "I'm Rosalie."

"I'm Emmett, it's nice to meet you," he said in that silky voice of his, and I didn't care he was cheesy as hell. Normally, I would have knocked him on his ass for being so obvious, but this time I really didn't care. I had felt a surge of need go through me as he kissed my hand, and that feeling only intensified as he spoke.

I sat down next to Alice, but my thoughts were racing well beyond the limits of this room. I knew it was partially to do with the fact that I was buzzed beyond belief, but it also had a hell of a lot to do with Emmett. Emmett… I'd love to sigh his name while being pinned beneath him. The fantasies running through my head were epic.

I looked up again at Emmett only to see that he was looking back at me with obvious interest. Well, the feeling was mutual. Like I said, normally I'd be completely turned off by his behavior; _I_ liked to call the shots, and I didn't fall for bullshit. But for some reason, I sensed that this guy was for real, even through his cornball smile and blatant flirting tactics.

And I wanted to get to know him. So I pulled my best smile and flipped my hair behind my shoulder, and did just that. And found out that he was the most perfect guy on the planet. Okay, that may have been over exaggerating a bit, but damn it, I couldn't help but think it. Maybe it wasn't that he was perfect, but that he was perfect for _me, _in every single way. I stole a glance at Alice and knew she noticed the same. She'd known me for too long to not know that this guy was my potential everything.

I also noticed that she looked utterly miserable. Still daydreaming about my stupid brother, still falling apart at the seams because of him. It broke my heart to see her this way. She was my best friend and sister wrapped into one, and it was rare when I saw her this low. I could kick Jasper's ass right now just for making her frown that way.

Emmett nudged me. "Hey, I'd like to give you my phone number, if that's alright." I jolted with a start, realizing I'd been dialoging in my head for too long, and the last thing I wanted was to look like a space cadet now.

"Sure," I said breathlessly, now helplessly staring at his beautiful face. Yeah, beautiful. I wanted to worship it daily at my altar… and nightly in my bed.

It was then I realized Alice was gone. "Hey, where's Alice?" So much for not sounding like a space cadet.

"She went to the bathroom," Emmett said, humor laced in his voice, like he was in on some kind of joke. Yeah, yeah, yuk it up, I was distracted by you, you big… handsome… sexy… devil you. "So, tell me more about yourself."

I was momentarily distracted by his mouth. His bottom lip was so full, I just wanted to suck on it… "Um… I go to University of Washington with Alice. But I'm a senior… almost done…" For the first time in my life, I didn't want to seem inadequate, too young.

He broke out into a grin, relieving my fears. "Yeah? I'm a cop here in Forks. Just moved here a few years ago… must have been when you were in school. And you must have been so good I never had a chance to run into you," he said in a teasing voice. Ohh, I melted. I didn't want to be a good girl… not with him.

"I love cops," I said with a grin. "So in control, so sexy."

I felt the tell-tale blush tinge my cheeks yet _again, _and couldn't believe the reaction my body had from this guy. It was simply illegal what he was doing to me… which was ironic, considering how he was an officer of the law.

He smirked at me, his eyes warm. Godddd, I wanted to jump him for that mouth alone. It was doing all sorts of interesting things to my lady parts, and I was dying to know what else it could do for my lady parts under other circumstances.

I was a healthy, sexual being, but damn, no guy had ever made me this horny, or this desperate for him like Emmett had with very little effort on his part. It frustrated me.

"Well, I'm glad you approve," he said. "Most women see the badge and freak out."

"I'm more fond of the night stick," I said, completely without my own tongue's will, and I was relieved when Alice returned from the bathroom, permi-scowl on her face. I couldn't believe I just said that… and I was terrified of Emmett's reaction for some reason. This was definitely a first for me.

I heard Emmett mentioning to Alice that he had a cop buddy he wanted to introduce her to. The little brat better accept for else… I was dying for an excuse to see Emmett again, even if it was on a double date like we were in middle school. I shot her a look, and she acquiesced. It probably had more to do with my stink eye than anything else, but still.

The rest of the night passed quickly. Alice interjected from time to time, but for the most part, it was just me and Emmett chatting as if we'd known each other forever. He'd moved past the night stick comment without a word, and I was oddly grateful. Damn, what was this guy doing to me? Just because he had a body I wanted to weep over, and a smile that made my panties more than damp, I was nervous? Unsure? Embarrassed? Damn.

I was Rosalie Hale, and I sure as shit wasn't gonna let a guy do this to me.

And yet somehow, it was okay that he had this affect on me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt right somehow, that I wasn't totally in charge this time.

His knee brushed against mine underneath the table, and my entire body erupted in goosebumps. Yep. This was new. His finger brushed on top of my hand, which was resting on my knee, and I nearly died. I had to bite my lip from moaning, which had never once happened outside of the bedroom before.

Oh God. It may have been the four Sex on the Beaches I had imbibed over the last few hours, but damn it, I was horny as fuck, and Emmett was stoking the fire. And though I wanted to drag him into the bathroom and fuck him silly, something told me that I could wait. That I _should _wait.

Because beyond the horny, I was feeling something. Something bigger than anything I'd ever known before.

What the fuck was that about?


	30. Outtake 2

**A/N: Sorry it is taking me so long to pop out these outtakes!!! I have no real excuse other than the stress in my life, and writing goes on the back burner when that happens. This isn't from any particular chapter, it's from the point after their first ride together, but before they're together. Aww. **

**Thanks as always to LittleLea05 for being my rockin' beta!!! :-) **

**Disclaimer: STILL isn't mine.**

**JPOV**

I busied myself with adjusting the straps on Alice's helmet. I hoped it would be the right size for her. She was so tiny and petite, and this was Rosalie's helmet. When we'd get back, Alice would have sexy helmet hair, and I'd get to run my fingers through it. Her new short hair… it was sick and wrong how much I wanted to pull my fingers through the short spikes, feeling how silky it still felt.

I shook my head to let out that random fantasy, and went back to getting ready. These _thoughts _for Alice were becoming more and more intense, and much more frequent. And surprisingly, I was okay with them. They confused the hell out of me, to be sure, but it didn't feel _wrong _the way I kept expecting it to.

Alice stepped into our garage in dark denim jeans and a black T-shirt, leather jacket slung over her arm. My heart skipped a beat.

"Ready!" she announced, always so chipper. The bright spot in my life.

"Good, just getting you your helmet," I said with a smile. Somehow Alice made me feel like that… happy. Better. More complete somehow.

"So, where are we going today?" she asked. We'd been going on these excursions together for the past few weeks, and each time, we tried to do something different. It was difficult to do, considering there are exactly two directions you can go out of Forks: east and south, unless you go west out to La Push, which was where we were going today.

"La Push, I haven't been out to those beaches since I was in high school," I told her.

"Ooh, great! Maybe if we stay long enough, we can have a bonfire," she said with a grin, and I couldn't help but think about being on the beach, alone, stars in the sky, weather permitting of course, with Alice's warm body beside me. It was the warm body next to me, and not just because of any warm body. Because it would be Alice's warm little body.

Fuck.

"I brought some lunch and snacks," Alice said, holding up the ubiquitous basket that always came with us when we went out on these trips before she slipped it into the storage on the back. This would be a fast ride, but I could tell Alice was just as excited about the destination as I was.

When I kick started the bike, Alice gave a little squeal behind me like she always did. She was more used to being on the bike now, but it didn't stop her from holding onto me in a death grip. Parts of me liked it, even as she grabbed all of the air out of my lungs. The woman had a tight grip despite her size. And that, of course, made me think about things I didn't want to contemplate, like her grip on _other _parts of my anatomy.

I shook my head and focused on pulling out of the driveway. If I could keep these thoughts out of my head until at least I got out of the neighborhood, or maybe even all the way to La Push, that'd be great. But as she rested her cheek against my back, letting her warm weight rest against me, my heart melted slightly, and all I could think about was where her hands were linked, resting against my stomach, pulling me to her as we hugged the curves of the road.

Was it wrong that somehow this felt almost like sex? Her body was flush against mine, and our bodies moved together, and the vibrations of the bike underneath us weren't exactly helping either.

We zoomed past the clear cuts on the side of the road until we were back in the forests of the reservation. We moved past Third, then Second Beach, and finally coasted through the tiny town of La Push until we got to the parking lot for First Beach.

The sky was layered with thin grey clouds, but there were patches where the sun was trying desperately to fight through. The beach was unusually crowded as well. It seemed that a lot of high school students from Forks, as well as some of the locals decided that today's waves were perfect for a little surfing, so there were groups of towels and radios and bags of chips all along the top edge of the beach where tall grass meets sand.

Alice held the basket of food in one hand while I boldly, and naturally, reached out and grasped her other hand in mine. We both stiffened in surprise, but neither one of us relented the grip we had on one another's hands. In fact, she laced her fingers through mine, more intimately connecting us. My heart gave a tiny thump. Sure, I'd held her hand before. And since when do I get excited about merely holding someone's hand?

God, Alice was making me go off the deep end.

We walked in relative silence. There were times when the rocks outnumbered grains of sand, or so it seemed, and they were all multi-colored and interesting looking. We crossed the tiny river that drained into the ocean, and suddenly we had the beach to ourselves.

I looked over at Alice, and my heart thumped triple time. Since when did she become so beautiful? I tried to memorize her profile, the way her nose turned up just at the end, and the way her chin curved perfectly to her perfect jaw, where it met her perfect ears…

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I whipped my head around to the front again, determined not to notice more things about her. But then she squeezed my hand and told me in her angelic voice that she wanted to stop at a pile of driftwood we were just about to reach. I nodded my consent, and we walked into the dry, soft sand towards the logs.

"Oh, it's such a nice day!" Alice exclaimed as she plopped on the sand, log against her back. She immediately kicked off her shoes and dug her toes into the sand. I sat beside her and mimicked her actions. The sand was hot on top, but freezing cold below.

"Yeah, for sure," I said, concentrating on the surfers bobbing up and down on the waves instead of Alice's mouth, like I was so apt to dwell on these last few weeks. Her lips were just… perfection. Goddamn it, everything about that girl was perfection, and it was starting to drive me insane.

So… faults. Let's focus on her faults, Hale. Hmm… she… doesn't… like spinach. And who in their right mind doesn't like spinach, after all, it's delicious in a salad, and extremely nutritious… And she isn't fond of The History Channel. Yeah. That's just not cool…

Yeah, I couldn't think of anything worth criticizing her for. It seemed simply impossible to find an extreme fault with her. It was almost like she and I were tailored to fit together. It was creepy. And fucking awesome. And monumentally terrifying.

"Want some crackers?" Alice asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Or some grapes?" She held out the bag of fruit while she munched on some herself.

"Sure," I said, laughing at how she chewed adorably. And yet… I didn't find her adorable anymore. It wasn't the way it used to be. I no longer saw her as my little sister. It was a long time coming, but I could finally admit that she was a woman. I mean, I always knew she was a woman, but not a _woman. _One who I desired.

I gulped my grapes down audibly, and Alice gave me a stunning smile before looking back out at the waves.

I looked out with her, and caught a local surfer crash into the waves after a miscalculation on his board. Alice and I laughed, and I relaxed. No matter what, she was still Alice. No matter how much my body craved hers, and how much my heart and brain were confused on the matter, it was still Alice, the girl I'd grown up with and shared most of my life with. And that wasn't about to change, no matter what the circumstances.


	31. Outtake 3

**A/N: Another outtake as requested by many of you guys!!! Enjoy. Thanks as always to LittleLea05- extra special thanks today since she beta-ed this without power. Amazing!!! :-D Stay warm, chica!!!**

**Disclaimer: As you well may know, I only own the plot, and even then, I don't technically "own" it. **

**JPOV**

Jon Stewart is hilarious. I can't help but die laughing at some of the things he says- always spot on. Alice's head bounced up and down on my chest as we snuggled together. Yes, snuggled. I mean, we were utterly wrapped around each other, so that was the best word for it.

She felt right in my arms, and I didn't even bother to deny it anymore. It was what it was, and I wasn't about to argue with it. She was the best friend I had in the world, and the woman I most wanted, too. Which was scary to admit, but oh so true. She had been torturing me lately, prancing around in skin revealing shirts and shorts that made me want to drool after her like a lovesick puppy.

Last night, I had jacked off to thoughts of her.

And now, I was holding her, our legs tangled up together, her breasts firmly pressed against me. I was pretty certain she wasn't wearing a bra, from the way I could feel her nipples through the fabric of our shirts.

Fuck. Me. Now.

She was wiggling, just slightly, so I moved my hand down to the small of her back to still her. Her shirt had ridden up a bit, and I could feel the smooth skin that resided there. It was so silky beneath my touch. I couldn't help but continue to graze my fingers against her back, softly, in tiny circles. A tiny moan escaped her mouth.

"Are you comfortable?" I asked, as she squirmed against me again.

"Very nearly," she gasped in that voice that was fuelling a lot of fantasies lately. Her voice was wobbly now, though, and there was a tone of desperation in her voice. I frowned, confused, and increased the pace of my fingers against her back. So smooth… so soft… She whimpered, and the sound went straight to my groin.

"Are you sure you're comfortable? You keep moving," I asked, worried. She shifted every few seconds, becoming more and more rhythmic, and my body was having a hard time not… uh… becoming hard. Her hips moved against mine, and there was no way I could ignore what was going on.

"Sorry," she said, and her hands flew up to my shoulders, her grip tight on me. She moaned my name, and something in it made my heart stop. She was panting against me, and I was worried that something was really wrong… but my body couldn't stop reacting to her. I knew it was wrong… but I just couldn't stop it.

"What's wrong? Alice?"

She buried her face into my neck, and moaned. "Oh, God." My dick hardened at the huskiness in her voice. She couldn't possibly be feeling what I was, could she? Like she would explode if something more didn't happen? Because I was definitely affected by her touch. Each day, it got worse and worse. I wanted her. Bad.

But maybe she wasn't feeling it. Maybe she was hurt. Maybe something really bad was happening to her, and she didn't want to say anything.

"Alice, look at me," I said, afraid that she was hurt. Because there was no way that she could really want me. "Please." I lifted her chin up so she would look into my eyes.

Her hazel eyes opened, and again, I felt my heart in my throat as she looked at me. Her eyes were glazed over, hazy. Like she wasn't seeing straight. Like she was going insane with something. And suddenly everything clicked. She was close… to something. I had a sneaking suspicion, and her expression and movements confirmed it.

Holy. Fucking. God. Alice turned on was… absolutely beautiful. And I wanted her so badly. My cock was practically straining through my jeans to get to her. She was so warm, so sweet, so wonderful… and it was terrifying.

"Sorry," I said, pulling away from her, as she sat up and away. There were those beautiful nipples, visible through her shirt. I fought to keep my sanity. "I had no idea."

She laughed, but it sounded shaky. "Well, now you know."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said, against my own will. Shit. Had I really just said that?! That her lower back was that sensitive, and I'd store away that info away for a rainy day? Shit. Big idiot. But she didn't scoff, didn't get grossed out, so I ignored my idiocy and added, "I think I'd better be going."

It was the last thing I wanted, to pull away from her. But damn it. I had to. Because I needed a moment alone… or five. Or, you know, hours. I moved quickly, trying to keep her from seeing the situation in my pants. She didn't need to see that. Alice didn't want me. She saw me as her big brother. There was no way.

"Oh, okay," she said, and she sounded genuinely sad that I was going. It gave me a flicker of hope.

"Um, I'll be by tomorrow, that is if you want me to," I said, giving her an out just in case she was truly disgusted with me. I mean, just because she'd been turned on didn't mean she really wanted me.

"Sure," she said, and her voice was so seductive and husky, I practically groaned.

I had to get out of there. Now. If I didn't, I was going to throw her over my shoulder and have my wicked way with her. It took all of my willpower to move, but when I did, I did so quickly.

"Okay, g'night," I said, without giving her the customary hug and kiss on the top of the head like I normally did. If I touched her again, that would be the end of it. Besides, then she'd definitely know what was going on with me. I limped as fast as I could out of the house, down the walkway, and down the street. It was extremely painful, and I knew I had to get home into my room, or perhaps the shower, where I could have more than a little bit of alone time.

_Holy shit. _


End file.
